Not So Bad After All
by HalfwaytoNowhere142
Summary: Marriage law fic: Hermione and Fred have been assigned to marry each other under a new law. Ron is furious, Hermione is confused, and Fred is bewildered. Will they fall in love or re-petition for a new spouse in three months? DISCLAIMER: I don't own Harry Potter. WARNING: MATURE
1. Chapter 1

_Due to the unfortunate quantities of deaths during the war and the increase in tensions between muggles and magical beings, on behalf of the new minister of magic, all wizards and witches between the ages of 17 and 35 must comply with a new wizarding law, effective on September 1 in order to ensure that the magical race does not die out: _

_1. Those in the designated age range are required to marry a member of the opposite sex within six months of the law's effect (March 1). _

_2. The only exceptions to this rule are those individuals currently convicted or suspected of being death eaters, violently unstable, or mentally ill.  
_

_3. A ministry official must preside over the proceedings. _

_4. Within a year, the couple must have, or being on the way to, having a child. If this has not happened, the couple will face an investigatory hearing and examination of both by St. Mungo's doctors._

_5. Each wizard or witch will be assigned their marriage partner by the ministry's new committee. _

_6. Those witches or wizards who wish to submit for a different partner may do so within 3 months, as long as they can provide adequate proof that they have dated and attempted to be in a relationship with said partner. _

_7. This marriage will last for a course at least two years, at which time both parties may apply for a hearing at the ministry if they wish to separate. Only those in extreme situations will be allowed to separate. Those who do will be assigned a new partner, whom they must marry within three months._

_8. Those who fail to comply with this law will be subjected to the immediate breaking of their wands, a ministry trail, and possible sentencing to Azkaban. _

_Each member will receive an owl from the ministry by September 1 with details of their chosen partner. _

_Sincerely,  
_

_Kingsley Shacklebolt_

_Former Head Auror_

_Wizengamot member_

"Bloody hell," Ron says shakily as Hermione finishes reading the letter out loud. She looks up to find the entire Weasley clan sitting at the large kitchen table in the Burrow, clearly shocked by the turn of events. _Can't we ever just have peace and quiet for once? We only just defeated Voldemort._

With a sigh she looks over to Harry. He has lost so much and now he has to deal with this? She observes him studying Ginny, worriedly, probably wondering what would happen if he didn't get paired with her.

She turns to find Ron looking at her, a curious expression on his face. _He wants us to be together, I know he does. __That should make me happy, right? __I do love him. I really do. It would make me happy to be with him. _And she truly believes that. Ron is all she has ever wanted. Fear overcomes Hermione as she wonders what will happen if she isn't placed with Ron.

Mrs. Weasley clears her throat suddenly, "Well, this is quite a shock, isn't it? But, no matter, no matter. We'll get through it. I think I'll go have a word with Kingsley tomorrow. Perhaps he'll change his mind," she states uncertainly.

"Dear, he won't. Trust me, many ministry members have been against this but Kingsley won't budge," replies Mr. Weasley.

"ARTHUR! Don't tell me you knew about this? How could you keep a secret like this from me?" He suddenly looks nervous and the kids take that as their cue to leave the room because things are getting awkward.

Fred and George, currently living at home because death eaters blew up their shop and apartment so they can't move back until it's rennovated, flop down on the couches in the living room.

"Reckon you'll get placed with Angelina, George?" Fred asked.

"Dunno. Maybe. Who'd you think you'll get?"

"Dunno. As long as it's not Pansy Parkinson. Real piece of work, that one."

George grins. "But the real question is, who's the poor sod that's going to be stuck with Ginny?"

"HEY! Just because you're jealous of my good looks-" Ginny looks at them, annoyed.

They only grin more and lean closer.

"We're not jealous of you, Gin."

"Yeah, how could we be?"

"We just don't fancy the git who has to put up with your temper-"

"Right nasty, it is."

"Shut it! At least I'm good looking, unlike you two prats," she growls and the twins shrug.

"Well, I do reckon I'm the better looking one, George. Sorry, someone had to break it to you. Glad it wasn't me."

George just rolls his eyes. "Oi! We're identical, you idiot!"

They continue to argue about who's better looking and Hermione just smiles. The bond between those two has always amazed her. Ron and Harry begin talking and she tunes in.

"I hope I get Ginny," Harry says worriedly, his face bleak.

"Better you than some other wanker, like Dean or Malfoy," shudders Ron.

"Don't even dare mention Malfoy as her husband, Ron."

"Right. Erm, who do you want to be paired with, Mione?" Ron looks at her nervously.

"It's not like I really have a choice, Ron. I'd like to be with you, but-"

Ron cuts her off, his arms encircling her and pulling her into a tight hug. "Me too," he whispers. She ignores the desire to push away, telling herself that she's just not used to be hugged by him yet and smiles.

"OI! Get a room!"

"Oh, shut up or I'll tell mum you used her cookware to brew your nosebleed nougat potion last week after your cauldrons blew up at your shop, " Ron sneers.

The twins' faces turn red. "You wouldn't dare..."

"Really?"

Fred and George turn toward one another. "Y'know, Fred, I do believe it's time we taught ickle Ronnykins a lesson or two about respecting his superiors."

"I think you're right, George. What do you think? Ton tongue toffee? Love potion? Or... maybe we should just keep you guessing. Let you get so nervous that you freak out like that one time that git, what's his name-'Kenneth Towler?-came out in boils because he was so nervous during O.W.L.S., d' you remember?'"

"'That's 'cause you put Bulbadox powder in his pyjamas.'"

"'Oh, yeah," Fred grins. "'I'd forgotten… hard to keep track sometimes, isn't it?'" [a/n: quote source: 6th book]

George just grins back and they walk away, leaving a slightly nervous Ron in their wake.

"I'd shake out your clothes before putting them on, Ron, if I were you," Ginny laughs before going upstairs.

Later that night, Hermione tries to fall asleep but fails miserably. _What if I'm not placed with Ron? What if I get assigned to someone like Draco or Crabbe? Ugh. Or someone who doesn't respect me at all and wants me to stay home all day instead of work or someone-"_

"Hermione? You okay? You keep tossing and turning," Ginny whispers from her side of the room they're sharing.

"I-I'm scared, Gin. What if I get placed with someone like Malfoy or someone who hates me and never lets me see your family and Harry again?"

"Oh, Hermione." She hears the covers rustle and sees Ginny's shadow walking across the room to her bed. "Can I get in?"

"Sure," she smiles at the girl who has become one of her beset friends as she lifts the covers. Ginny lays on her side, propping herself up on an elbow as she always does when they share a bed and talk.

"I'm scared too, Mione, but it'll be okay. The law said we could re-petition for a new partner and, besides, Kingsley is pretty reasonable. I'm sure he'll take our feelings into consideration."

"Yeah, you're probably right. Thanks, Gin."

"No problem."

They're silent for a few minutes and Hermione's almost drifted off to sleep when the door creaks open and Harry and Ron peer inside.

"Hermione? Ginny? You awake?"

"Mm. Go'way Ron! Trying to sleep here," Ginny mutters.

The boys come inside anyway and sit on Ginny's bed. Hermione sits up and leans against the wall, looking at their shadowy figures in the dark from over Ginny, who's almost asleep next to her. "What's wrong?"

"Couldn't sleep," they reply at the same time, looking at each other and laughing silently before sobering.

"Marriage law?"

"Yeah," they both reply but don't say anything else, never being good at expressing their feelings.

CRACK! CRACK!

Ginny screams, Hermione pulls out her wand and points it at the noise, Harry yells out a defensive spell so fast that it catches everyone off guard, and Ron's knocked to the ground as someone lands on top of him.

"Blimey! Shut up, you lot! Are you trying to make mum come up here," George whispers.

"George?"

"Yes, Ginny?"

"Will you get off of me? You're crushing me!"

"Oh! Sorry." He moves to sit on the floor by his twin, who just moved from where he landed on top of Ron.

"Bloody hell. Why can't you two walk places like normal people?"

"Apparation saves us time, Ron."

"A bloody two seconds, maybe. You're just down the hall."

Hermione hears them moving around, getting more comfortable, and someone says, "Ouch! That's my foot you're stepping on!"

"Sorry!"

"Harry! You can't sit here," Ginny squeals as Harry tries to sit on the bed the girls are occupying.

"Oh, this is ridiculous! Lumos maxima!" Hermione smiles in satisfaction as everyone blinks in the sudden light. Harry turns to find himself sitting on Ginny's legs and gets up, his face red.

"What are you two doing here, anyway," Hermione asks the twins.

"Well, dear Hermione, we couldn't sleep and we heard Ron and Harry walking past our door-"

"Not exactly stealthy, are they?"

"And we figured they were coming in here to talk to you two-"

"So we thought we'd protect your honor from these two buggers," they finish happily.

"Aren't you worried about the marriage law? You two seem so happy," Ron asks.

"Course we're worried, Ron, but it's not like we can do anything about it-"

"Right now anyway."

"Besides, unlike you, we're able to charm most witches to fall in love with us-"

"Due to our dashing good looks."

"More like large supply of love potions," Ginny whispers and snorts.

They talk until the early hours of the morning, everyone wondering who they'll get paired with and secretly worrying about what will happen if it doesn't work out.

* * *

The next morning, Hermione wakes up to find that Ginny and Harry have already left the room. She sits up slowly and peers around, noting that Ron is still sleeping soundly on the floor and twins are curled up in Ginny's bed.

She gets up slowly, grabbing her clothes, and tiptoes to the loo, before quickly showering, changing, and pulling up her hair.

She walks down the stairs into the kitchen to find Mrs. Weasley bustling about, but Harry and Ginny are nowhere to be seen.

"Morning, Mrs. Weasley."

"Morning, Hermione. Breakfast will be ready shortly. Oh, there's a letter for you on the table, dear." She turns back to the stove and stirs something in a pot with her wand.

Hermione walks to the table and grabs the letter, her heart jolting at the familiar penminship.

She tears it open quietly and reads:

_Dearest Hermione,_

_Your father and I are going on a business conference to Italy in a week, so I may not recieve any more post until then. We will be gone for two weeks. How are you doing, darling? I'm so glad you were able to spend the first half of the summer with us after you restored our memories (your father said to remind you that we are not mad about that anymore. We understand you did what was necessary for our safety and yours-you are so brave). We just wanted to check up on you and make sure that all your needs are being met by the Weasleys. Know that if you want to come and visit before we leave, you are more than welcome. But we also know that you belong with them, in their world, and need time with your friends. It's up to you, sweetie. Oh, and I'm sending you that package of books you requested from your room through Fed-ex.  
_

_Love,  
_

_Mum  
_

Hermione smiles tearfully, missing her parents, but glad she was able to restore their memory after the war ended and that they bear no grudge toward her. She laughs to think of Fed-Ex arriving at the Weasley's front door. Hopefully Mr. Weasley won't be home to exclaim about the wonders of Muggle systems...

"What're you laughing about?" Ginny asks, plopping down next to her. Hermione looks at Harry, who also sits down and notes the guilty look he gives Mrs. Weasley. Clearly the two were outside somewhere, snogging just a few minutes ago.

"Oh, mum sent me a package through Fed-ex to the Burrow. I was just wondering how that would go."

She knows Harry gets what she means as he snorts into his orange juice.

SWIIIIISHHHHHHHH! Pillows come flying into the room and hover above their heads.

Mrs. Weasley looks up. "What in the?"

WOOSH!

Her question is answered for her as the pillows explode and they are suddenly covered in feathers.

"FRED! GEORGE! GET DOWN HERE RIGHT THIS INSTANCE! FOR HEAVEN'S SAKE! I JUST CLEANED THIS KITCHEN! YOU WOULD THINK BY NOW THAT YOU TWO WOULD GROW UP A LITTLE AND LEARN..."

Her voice fades away as she storms upstairs and the trio just look at each other in surprise.

Ron stumbles into the room, looking bewildered. "Bloody hell, can't we ever have a quiet morning around here?" Another pillow zooms from who knows where and promptly explodes above his head, raining him with feathers.

Hermione, Ginny, and Harry burst out laughing.

Apparently not.

They spend the next month-and-a-half of summer that way, lazing around the Burrow. Fred and George re-brew their joke shop supplies during the day, barely coming out of their room, while Hermione, Harry, Ron, and Ginny spend their days by the quidditch pitch or nearby lake, avoiding Mrs. Weasley. She seems to think they should spend their free time doing chores around the house or de-gnoming the garden.

It's the end of August, now, and their letters could arrive any day. Ginny and Hermione are laying on the grass by the lake.

"Mione?"

"Hmm?" She looks up absently from her book to find Ginny staring at her instead of her _Witches' Weekly_ magazine.

"Do you think we'll get them soon?"

Even without saying it, Herimone knows what Ginny's talking about. It's been the subject of many conversations at the Burrow in the past month. "Maybe."

"Are you nervous?"

"Yes, but I'm trying not to think of it."

"Oh. Sorry," Ginny whispers, then pauses. "Mione?"

"Hm?"

"What if I don't get placed with Harry?"

"Oh, Gin. I'm sure you'll get placed with Harry. If not, you'll just have to re-petition."

"Yeah, you're right. I'll get Harry and you'll get Ron and everything will be exactly like it's supposed to be."

_Yes, exactly,_ she thinks. But why doesn't she feel content, then?

"OI!" Ron runs up to them, breathless. "C'mon! The letters have just arrived. Mum's about to throw a fit."

The girls sit up with a start and grab their stuff before running back with Ron to the Burrow. They arrive out of breath in the kitchen. Mrs. Weasley, the twins, and Harry are already there, everyone varying between degrees of nervousness and downright denial about the situation.

"We're just waiting for Arthur. He's coming home from the ministry. I just floo'ed him the message."

Everyone sits down at the table, picking up their respective letters.

CRACK! Mr. Weasley arrives and walks into the room. "All right, now. No need to panic." His statement seems to apply more to himself as he is the only one who looks like he's about to faint.

"Reckon we should just open them all at the same time. Seems only fair," mutters George. Fred nods in agreement, as does everyone else.

"On the count of three, then. One, two... three," whispers Mr. Weasley.

The sound of tearing fills the room as people rip open their letters. Hermione reads hers in entirety:

_Ms. Hermione Jean Granger,_

_This letter is to inform you that you are subjected to comply with the new wizarding marriage law act, effective on September 1 of this year. This law requires that you date and marry the assigned individual within six months (March 1) and produce offspring within one year. If you fail to comply with this law, ministry officials will arrive to destroy your wand and you will be subjected to an investigatory hearing. For further information, please consult the enclosed full parameters of the law.  
_

_Your assigned spouse:  
_

_Mr. Frederick Weasley  
_

_All questions may be directed to Head of the Marital Law Committee, Mr. Fidelius Green.  
_

_Sincerely,  
_

_Kinglsey Shacklebolt  
_

_Minster of Magic.  
_

Hermione hears gasps all around the table and it becomes absolute chaos as everyone finishes their letters. Ginny launches herself at Harry and they begin snogging immediately. George is grinning like an absolute idiot. Ron looks furious and Fred... Fred is staring at her with an un-readable expression on his face. They lock eyes and only Ron's voice draws them out of it.

"OI! That's my sister you're snogging! Knock it off!"

"Nose out, Ron. He's my fiance now. I'd say he has a right." Mrs. Weasley squeals at the news, enveloping Harry and Ginny in a giant hug and starts in a tirade about how she always knew that they would end up together.

"Now, now. Let's just calm down, everyone. How about we go around and see who everyone got," Mrs. Weasley manages to choke out between her tears of joy at Harry becoming an official part of the family.

"George?"

"Angelina," he says, grinning. Fred claps him on the back, stunned but happy for his twin that George got his current girlfriend.

"Ron?"

"Parvarti Patil." Everyone gasps and heads swivel around to study Hermione's reaction. Ron looks at her too, quite upset.

"Who'd you get, Mione?"

"I-I... well, please don't be upset, Ron, but..."

"Me," states Fred loudly. Everyone turns to look at him and Mrs. Weasley gets up with a gasp, blubbering again about how Hermione will be a part of the family too and enveloping her in a hug.

Ron's face, meanwhile, has turned quite red. "You? Bloody hell! This is ridiculous! They assign my own git of a brother to marry my girlfriend! Rubbish!"

"Language, Ronald!" Mrs. Weasley reprimands him, but he ignores her as he stomps from the room.

The air is tense around them and people quietly start leaving the table. First, Harry and Ginny leave (probably to go somewhere and snog), then Mr. Weasley, and finally, George, after having a silent conversation with his twin, gets up.

Mrs. Weasley remains there, unwilling to leave, and Fred slowly gets up as he walks to Hermione's chair, where her eyes are downcast, refusing to meet anyone else's.

"Take a walk with me, Hermione?"

She looks up to find that same in-definable expression on his face. "O-okay."

They walk to the lake in silence, only speaking once they arrive.

"So. Me and you, huh? Who'd have guessed it?" His attempt at joking, however, doesn't make her laugh.

She sits down, drawing her knees up to her chest and staring at the lake.

"Hermione? You okay?"

"N-no. I'm so sorry this happened, Fred. I mean, Ron hates both of us now and you get stuck with your brother's girlfriend. Not to mention I'm two years younger. Oh! This is such a mess!"

"Hey, hey now," he says softly as he gently grasps her chin and forces her to look at him in the face. "First of all, my brother's a prat and I never knew what you saw in him. And it doesn't bother me that you're two years younger, Hermione. I'd rather have you than someone I don't know."

"Were you dating anyone?"

"No," he says sadly and then, to his absolute surprise she bursts out in tears.

"I'm so s-s-sick of this! We just finished the war and n-now we have to deal with t-this... It's not fair!" He pauses for a moment, unsure what to do before he puts his arms around her and tugs her into his lap. She stiffens before registering the comfort of his arms and his hard chest. She leans against him and cries, enjoying the feeling of safety she gets from being in his arms.

He just softly holds her and rocks back and forth whispering, "Shh. It'll be okay. Hush now."

After a few minutes, Hermione pulls back and jumps off of him, blushing. "I'm so sorry, Fred! I didn't mean to do that!"

"It's okay. I reckon it's been awhile since you've had a good cry on a nice set of shoulders, anyway," he winks.

She just blushes more and then straightens up resolutely. "Well. There's nothing we can do about it now. We'll have to date for three months and then re-petition so that I can end up with, Ron. Right?"

"Of course," but his eyes look slightly sad.

"Until then, however, I think you'll make a great prank partner. Wanna help me prank him?"

A look of horror comes over her face. "Fred Weasley! What are you planning?"

He just grins evilly as the walk back to the Burrow. "Just a little something to get back at him for calling me a git. That's all."

She just shakes her head and smiles despite herself.

These next three months could be interesting.


	2. Chapter 2

The next morning, at some point before breakfast, Fred "improved" Ron's favorite Chudley Cannons shirt, which he was currently wearing.

Everyone, besides Mrs. Weasley, who didn't notice (lucky for Fred), snickered when Ron walked in for breakfast once they saw that Fred had changed the words on Ron's t-shirt. Instead of:

_Biggest Fan Ever!  
_

It read:

_Biggest Git Ever!_

He had been furious and embarrassed, to say the least, but Hermione was having a difficult time feeling sorry for him after the way he'd been acting. Although, she did reprimand Fred after Ron grabbed some food and stomped off to eat breakfast in his room.

"You shouldn't have pranked him. You're only going to make things worse."

Fred only shrugs. "He deserved it, Hermione." He continues eating and she just rolls his eyes at the way he stuffs his mouth. _Do all Weasley's eat as if the world might end before the next meal?_

Somehow, just after breakfast, Hermione found herself sitting in the living room with Ron, Harry, and Ginny staring at a very serious Mr. and Mrs. Weasley.

"All right. Now, I know we promised not to bother you about your career decisions until after the marriage letters arrived-we agreed you needed a summer off after the war to just relax a bit-but now we would like to know what you have decided. Harry?"

"Erm, I'm not going back Hogwarts, Mrs. Weasley. Sorry. I know you wanted me to, but Ron and I have decided to become aurors-"

"AURORS? You just fought in a war! What are you two thinking? You'll end up dead or worse! Arthur, talk some sense into them!"

Harry mutters to Ron, "What's worse than being dead?"

"Looking like Mad-eye, I reckon." Harry snorts but Hermione sends them a disapproving frown.

Ginny interrupts. "Mum, Harry and Ron will make great aurors and it's what they want to do with their lives. Especially now that Harry has the freedom to choose for once what he wants to do instead of having You-Know-Who dictate it...are you really going to stop him from doing what he loves?"

"How can you love fighting? I just don't understand!"

Harry decides to speak up. "Mrs. Weasley, I don't love fighting. But Ron and I have both decided that we want to catch the people responsible for all these deaths. It's what I was meant to do, and Ron too."

"I think they'll both make great aurors," Hermione speaks up quietly and everyone looks at her in shock, expecting her to demand that they finish their education and then pursue something less dangerous. "I mean, look at Harry. He learned a patronous in his third year! And Ron has really shaped up. He saved Harry's..." She trails off, remembering the abbreviated version of the horcrux hunt that they gave the Weasley's. Neither know that Ron saved Harry's life, retrieved the sword of griffyndor from the cold water, and destroyed a horcrux.

"Well. I suppose we have no choice then. But you boys had better be careful! If I hear of even one injury during your training, you're coming straight home!"

"Yes, Mum."

"Yes, Mrs. Weasley."

"Now, when is registration and all that?"

"We already applied. Interviews will be next week and then training starts end of September."

"Very well then." Mrs. Weasley turns to look at Hermione. "Now, Hermione, what about you, dear?"

"I've applied to the _Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures_, _Department of International Magical Cooperation_, the _Committee on Experimental Charms_, and _St. Mungo's_ as a healer, just in case those other options don't pan out. I do hope I get a position in one of them," she finishes nervously.

Harry laughs slightly. "Hermione, you're only the brightest witch in our class and my best friend. Not to mention you fought in the war. You don't have to worry about getting in. They'll all probably accept you."

"I hope so."

"I thought for sure you would go back to Hogwarts, dear." Mrs. Weasley looks disappointed in her.

Hermione shrugs. "At first, I thought about it. But, I can finish my N.E.W.T.S. through individual studying and just show up for the examinations. And I think I've learned all I can from there...I just can't go back," she finishes, shuddering to think of all her classmates that she watched die within those walls. Too many terrible memories exist there now. "Anyway, I already turned in my applications and I should hear back soon, I would expect."

Harry, Ron, and Ginny just nod, understanding what she left unspoken.

"Very well. If that's what you wish to do." Mrs. Weasley and her husband stand up, clearly finished with the discussion.

"Mum! You didn't ask about me!" Ginny looks annoyed.

She turns back to her daughter. "Well, there's no need. You're going back to Hogwarts."

"WHAT? Mum that's not fair! They're not going back!"

"They're of age, Ginevra, and you are not so your father and I still have a say in what you do! You are going to finish your education," she finishes firmly.

"UGH! I'm not a child!" She storms from the room in protest. Harry quickly runs after her as Mr. and Mrs. Weasley finish discussing the plans that have been revealed.

Ron and Hermione stare at each other awkwardly before she ventures, "Ron..."

"Why don't you go find your stupid fiancé," he snarls before abruptly leaving the room. Hermione sighs. _Why can't my life ever be simple?_

She decides to grab a book and wiles the morning away reading while she continues to wonder when the Ministry of Magic Departments will contact her.

Shortly after lunch, Hermione, Ginny, and Harry congregate in the Burrow's backyard, just to talk and hang out.

Hermione's about to encourage them to play quidditch so that she can read when Ron stalks over to them.

"HARRY!"

"Uh, yeah mate?" Harry looks up at him warily.

Ron stands over him with his arms crossed. "What's this I hear about you taking my sister on a date tomorrow?"

"Well, I am sort of her fiancé," Harry states coldly.

"I don't give a bollock if you're her fiancé. You can't just take her to some unknown location and have your way with her!"

Ginny snorts. "Merlin! Have his way with me? And do you even know what that would consist of Ron? I told you before to nose out. Harry is just taking me for dinner at the Leaky Caldron. We _are_ going to be married, you know."

"Well...I just-"

"Well, Fred, what do we have here? Sad lot, really. You're lucky we chose to grace you with our presence." George sits down next to Hermione, while Fred plops down next to Harry.

Ron's entire face and ears turn bright red. He still refuses to speak to Fred. He glares and walks away after giving a rude hand gesture.

Fred glances at Hermione and then George. "Y'know, George, I'm sensing just a teeny, tiny bit of anger from dear, old Ron, aren't you?"

George tilts his head. "Hm. Nope, 'fraid I don't see it."

"Just a teeny bit," Fred jokes, holding up his fingers and keeping them slightly apart. "That much, maybe?"

"Nope. Sorry. Must be imagining things, Fred."

Hermione can't help it. She laughs slightly and the twins grin proudly at making her do so.

George swings his arm around her shoulder. "Sorry you got stuck with Fred, Mione. He's the uglier twin. Not to mention dead boring," he mock whispers.

"Oi! I'm right here! Besides, he doesn't know what he's talking about. Got hit with one too many a bludger in the last few years. Poor bloke is barking." Fred winks at her. "Anyway, Hermione, I was wondering if you wanted to go on a date tonight?"

"A-a date?" She squeaks out.

"Yep. D'you?" He doesn't even act embarrassed but here she is fighting back the urge to blush.

"Sure, Fred. Um, what time?"

"'Round dinner, I think. You can wear whatever you want. We're not going anyplace fancy." He smiles and he and George stand up, walking away.

_Of course, he doesn't want to spend his hard-earned money on you! You're hardly worth it to him_, a mocking inner voice taunts.

"Oh, shut up."

"Were you talking to me, Hermione?" Harry looks confused.

"No. Never mind. I'm going to... go read inside for a while, then." She stands up abruptly and walks off to avoid their scrutinizing gazes.

_It's just one date. Why does it even matter to me? It's not like we're actually going to be married because we're going to re-petition for new partners. Honestly, Hermione, you act like such a schoolgirl sometimes_, she chastises herself.

A few hours later, Hermione's getting ready in Ginny's room when the door slowly creaks open and Mrs. Weasley pops her head in. She walks in, carrying a tray of tea and cookies.

"Fancy a cuppa, Hermione?" Hermione refrains from rolling her eyes. Mrs. Weasley means well but Hermione knows that she's just here to satisfy her curiosity about where Fred is taking Hermione.

"No thanks, Mrs. Weasley. And, sorry, but I don't know where Fred's taking me."

"Oh! Why, of course not. I don't know what made you think I was going to ask that, dear."

Hermione just smiles as Mrs. Weasley slowly backs out of the room and shuts the door.

A few minutes later, she sighs in satisfaction, finally happy with her appearance. She glances down to make sure there are no imperfections, noting that her white shorts are clean and that her dark, purple sleeveless shirt fits just snugly enough to show off her figure. Her hair is curly but as contained as she can get it and she grabs a pair of dressy flip-flops to complete the look.

She begins to traipse down the many flights of stairs to the first floor, when she suddenly runs into someone.

"Oof! Hermione, I... Why are you so dressed up?" Ron asks suspiciously.

"I have a date with Fred, Ron."

He glowers. "Oh, fine. I see how it is. Now you're dating the pathetic bloke? I thought you were better than that, Hermione. How could you betray me like this?"

"Betray you? You think I'm _betraying_ you? Honestly, Ronald! Grow up already! No, be quiet! I'm not finished. Ever since last night, you've been moping around here and I'm quite sick of it! Neither Fred nor I asked to be paired together, if that hasn't penetrated your thick skull by now, but we're being mature adults about this! You, however, are being a complete jerk, Ron Weasley! This situation is awkward enough without you being a total child!"

"Well...I-I-"

"No! I don't want to talk to you right now. Not until you grow up! I'm going on a date with Fred and you can just deal with it," she huffs and marches past him. She's barely a few feet away when an arm grabs her and yanks her into a spare room.

She finds herself looking into Ginny's smiling face. "'Bout time somebody gave it to him. Glad it was you, Hermione."

"I'm not. I feel awful."

"You shouldn't. He's acting like an idiot. Listen, I just wanted to say have fun, okay? No matter what Ron has been saying to you, you deserve it after the hell we've been through this year."

"Thanks, Gin," she hugs her and leaves the room, making it to the first floor without any more run-ins.

Fred meets her there, smiling. George is beside him and gives a cat-call. "You look _very_ nice, Hermione."

Fred puts an arm around her shoulders. "Back off, you arse. She's mine," he jokes.

George puts a hand to his heart. "Oh, how you wound me, dear brother! Well, I'll see you two later. I'm going to Angelina's." He disappears with a loud pop.

"Ready to go then?" Fred smiles at her. His arm feels comfortable around her shoulders and she feels a bit cold when he removes it.

"Yes. Where are we going?"

"It's a surprise, Hermione. Just relax."

He holds out his arm and takes it, side-along apparating with him. She feels the uncomfortable but familiar squeezing sensation and then they land.

"The lake?" They're still near the Burrow. In fact, they're at the lake at which Hermione spends so much time.

"Yeah. Is that okay?" He suddenly looks worried but she smiles. She turns around with a gasp to find that he has set up a table and chairs along with an elaborate meal.

"It's perfect, Fred."

He holds out her chair and she scoots in toward the table while he explains. "Well, I wanted to take you somewhere fancy, y'know. But, since the shop blew up and all our supplies have been gone, George and I have had to use a lot of our saved up funds again to re-build everything. Plus, I thought privacy might be nice."

"It is," she replies simply.

They eat in silence for a few moments.

"This meal is wonderful, Fred! I didn't know you could cook!"

"Er, well, I can't. Ginny helped me. But it's the thought that counts right?"

She laughs and nods, but is suddenly business-like. "So, I think we should get to know each other. I mean, when you and I re-petition for new mates, they're going to investigate and make sure that we've dated first before giving up on our relationship. So, they'll expect us to know things about each other."

"Right.'Kay. What d'you want to know?"

"What's your favorite food?"

"Licorice snaps. Yours?"

"Chocolate pasties. Anything with chocolate, really."

"Typical female. Favorite color?"

"Blue. You?"

"Magenta."

"Magenta?" She studies him, bewildered.

"S'the color of our joke shop robes. Really makes my eyes pop," he winks. She notices his bright blue eyes, then, for the first time and is stunned by the depth and expressiveness of them.

"You have nice eyes."

"Thanks," he raises an eyebrow and she blushes.

"Anyway..."

They spend the rest of the meal like that, asking each other questions and answering. Hermione cannot believe how easy Fred is to talk to. Unlike Ron, he actually seems interested in her preferences and he isn't awkward around her. It's almost like talking to Harry, her best friend.

Before she realizes it, they're eating desert. Fred waves his wand and the dessert appears in a flash. Hermione gasps in delight because it's her favorite dessert, chocolate pasties.

"How did you know?"

"I asked Harry."

"That was very...thoughtful of you, Fred," she says, surprised. _Ron would never be so considerate_, the sneering voice in her head mocks, but she blocks it out.

"Oh, blimey! I almost forgot! Here, I got this for you."

"What is it?"

He grins. "Just open it."

The box is square and small but she does as he asks, almost falling off her chair in surprise when flowers spring from it with a loud bang and start chanting, "Hermione, Hermione, Hermione..." in a high, squeaky voice.

She laughs. "I should've known you'd prank me somehow."

"Couldn't help it. Too hard to resist, really. You're not mad, though. Thought you might be."

"No. I only get mad when your pranks hurt someone."

"They don't hurt people, Mione, honestly! You've offended me," he pretends to be heartbroken but she just smiles.

After a moment, he clears away their table and food with a flick of his wand and summons an old record player from behind a tree ("hid it there this morning when mum wasn't looking"). It starts to play a warbled tune.

He bows low. "May I have this dance, my fair lady?"

"Sure." She walks into his arms hesitantly, but he quickly pulls her to him, looking down at her.

He is much taller than her and his muscular arms easily encase her body. For the first time in Hermione's life, she feels truly delicate and womanly. _Ron never treats you this gently_, the voice whispers, as Fred brushes back a brown curl of hair from her face, but she ignores it again.

Her heart starts to pound just a little faster as he draws her closer in the cooling night air to keep her warm. His breath gently tickles her neck and she shivers. _What is wrong with me? _She had never felt this way before: so safe, secure, and... desired?

After a few dances, Fred reluctantly releases her, looking at her with that serious, un-definable expression again, before clearing his throat.

"Suppose we should get back home. Mum doesn't want us to stay too late. Likes to know that George and I aren't out there wreaking havoc and mayhem in the middle of the night. Course, she should know better by now. We do that in the day," he grins.

She just smiles, not sure how to take his joke, since the last one was played on her boyfriend, and they apparate back to the Burrow.

Fred smiles at her before brushing back that same stubborn piece of hair. "Thanks for coming, Hermione."

"Thank you, Fred. It was perfect. Goodnight."

"Goodnight." He leaves to go to his room and she stands there for a few moments. _If he's gone, then why can I still feel his arms holding me?_

"I'm just tired," she mutters, before heading Ginny's room and turning in for the night.


	3. Chapter 3

The next morning, Hermione walks into the Burrow's kitchen to find everyone huddled around something on the table.

Wondering what the commotion is about, she quietly peers over Harry's shoulder and realizes that they're all looking at an article on the front page of the _Daily Prophet:_

_Last week, I had the delight of conversing with the famous and well-known author of The Life and Lies of Albus Dumbledore, Rita Skeeter. Ms. Skeeter has graciously allowed me to interview her on her latest book on the lastest wizarding war involving the darkest wizard of all time._

_"Well, it was just so amazing, really. It took me three months, but the book is clearly adequate and explains many mysteries. How exactly did Harry Potter kill You-Know-Who? Who killed Severus Snape? And many more questions are answered."_

_"Fascinating. And what exactly happened with Snape?"_

_"Sorry, but you'll just have to wait for the book to hear that," smiles Ms. Skeeter. A truly delightful woman, she sits sipping tea and right at home in her cozy new apartment. _

_"And what about the ramifications of death eaters? Aren't you worried they will come after you?"_

_"Oh, posh! I'm perfectly safe here. Besides, the truth is the truth. Even they can't deny that." She just laughs and sits back, clearly relaxed about the situation and fully confident in the New Ministry to handle matters, as she told me earlier. _

_"Now, what about Harry Potter? Is he in the book?"_

_"Oh yes! He's in nearly every chapter. I give details about his mysterious disappearance and his willingness to allow his friends to die for him. Quite tragic, really. But you'll have to read the book to hear more."_

_"Is it true the Bellatrix Lestrange was killed as well?" I ask, changing topics when Ms. Skeeter refuses to provide more tidbits of detail. Her skill at keeping secrets about her book is simply astounding and reveals the truly great author she is._

_"Yes, oh yes. That's very true. She was killed by Harry's surrogate mother, in fact. Right after Mrs. Weasley found out that Harry's past love interest, Ms. Hermione Granger, was tortured by Bellatrix, she was said to go on a rampage and killed the evil witch."_

_"Tortured?"_

_"Brutally. But you'll have to read the book to find out more, of course."_

_"Thank you for your time, Ms. Skeeter."_

_"It was quite the pleasure. And please, call me Rita."_

_Ms. Skeeter's latest book: The Second Wizarding War: Necessary or Avoidable? will hit the shelves on the first of October._

Hermione scoffed, wishing at the moment that she had kept Rita trapped in the blasted jar as a beetle in fourth year.

Her expression changes dramatically, however, at the picture she sees shortly below the article: Bellatrix Lestrange. She quickly skims the smaller article on the bottom of the page:

_In latest news, Ministry officials have searched the house of well-known late deatheater, Bellatrix Lestrange. Ms. Lestrange, killed by a member of the Order of Phoenix during the war, lived in the village of Saint Thomas. Ms. Lestrange's house was found to contain many dark artifacts, including several cursed items that would, if used, cause immediate death to the receiver. Officials state that they can say no more about the state of Ms. Lestrange's house and have temporarily barricaded it from any intruders in order to finish their search. _

The picture of that evil, twisted face leaves Hermione stunned and a blank expression steals over her face as she is transported back in time.

_"NO! NO, PLEASE!" The pain... it hurts so badly._

_"Tell me where you got it! WHAT ELSE DID YOU TAKE? CRUCIO!" _

_"No! I didn't..." The pain takes her over. Pain is the only part of her existence now. She's sure she's breaking from the strain of it...  
_

Everyone finishes reading the other article and Mrs. Weasley huffs. "Honestly, Rita Skeeter is a despicable woman." She turns and slams around some pots and pans, placing dishes of food on the table.

Wisely, everyone else remains quiet and moves to their seats for breakfast, but Hermione stays where she is, frozen, with that haunted expression, clearly caught in flashback.

Harry and Ron notice at once and move to go help her.

"Hermione?" asks Harry tenatively, but she doesn't respond. "Hermione!" He says more insistently.

Fred watches her shiver and a tear works its way down her cheek. He gets up and gathers Hermione into his arms before the boys can do anything else to help her. He holds her tightly to him.

"Shhh.. It's okay. It's all over," he whispers, as he glances at the paper and sees the article on Bellatrix and her picture. His gaze turns murderous as he thinks of what he would do to that evil bitch if she wasn't already dead.

Her shoulders shudder as she cries in his arms and everyone watches in stunned silence as Fred softly whispers comforting words to her. They have never seen him acting so gently. Mrs. Weasley almost looks a little too pleased. Ron glares at him and sits back down and Harry stands awkwardly, not sure what to do.

At that moment, however, George wanders in the room and takes in the scene in a glance. "Oi! What's wrong, Hermione? Was your date last night that bad?"

Fred glares at his twin, but George keeps going, ignoring the look. "Don't say I didn't warn you, Hermione. I told you he was dead boring, didn't I?"

Oddly enough, out of all the things done and said in the past few minutes, it's George's joke that draws Hermione out of her state. She steps back from Fred, blushing and wiping away the tears, and George just grins.

Fred socks him on the shoulder, hard. "Oi! What was that for," George yells.

"For being an clueless prick, that's what!"

"Oh, so I'm the clueless one, am I? At least on my first date, in fifth year, I didn't try to do a muggle magic trick and end up pulling a bunch of flowers out of my arse-"

"BOYS! HONESTLY!" Mrs. Weasley looks at them in anger, but George's statement makes Hermione giggle as she sits down at the table. Everyone looks at her in relief to note that she's okay again and Harry snickers as Fred's face turns red.

"It was an accident. How did I know that's not how the tricked worked? Muggles are strange and the guy who sold it told me...well..."

George just laughs. "Sure, Fred. Real charmer, you are." He and his twin sit down next to Hermione and grab some food.

Hermione looks up and decides to spare Fred any further embarrassment. "Actually, our date last night was very nice, George."

Everyone looks at her in surprise and she suddenly finds her toast very interesting. Fred's face lights up with a smile and his twin watches in suspicion as Fred winks at Hermione.

She just shakes her head at him, wondering if she will ever get used to dating Fred Weasley.

Almost as soon as breakfast is over, Ron jumps up, the first to leave the table. Everyone eyes him because usually he dawdles over the food.

"Erm, I've got to go." He rushes to the fireplace to floo to who knows where and Hermione watches Fred and George having a silent conversation. They both nod and get up to grab Ron by his arms.

"HEY! Gerrof!"

"Not so fast, Ronnikins. Where are you off to so early?"

"Did the Ministry of Magic finally declare you a danger to society? Make some rule about how long you can be around people?"

"No, they did not," he answers, annoyed. "Now let me go." He struggles but their grips remain firm.

"Not until you tell us where you're off to," they reply simultaneously.

"If you don't tell us," says George, "We'll just slip some Veritaserum in your drink. We've done it before."

Ron's face reddens as he thinks of a memory he'd clearly rather not have shared. "Gits. Fine. I'm going to go see Parvarti."

"Oooh! Parvarti," whispers George.

"Wow, Ronnie. You're growing up so fast," moans Fred as he jokingly wipes away a pretend tear.

"Shut up! Now let me go or I'll tell mum-"

The rest of the sentence is muffled as George claps a hand over Ron's mouth. The twins glare but release Ron. He straightens his robes and swiftly floo's out of the room.

"Tell me what," Mrs. Weasley asks suspiciously.

The twins glance at her nervously. "Um, got to go, mum."

"Busy, busy!" Fred yells as they run from the room. "Those galleons don't make themselves, y'know!" Shouts George.

Hermione, Harry, and Ginny just laugh as Mrs. Weasley stares after them, an exasperated expression on her face and muttering something about the twins making her go mad.

Shortly after breakfast, Hermione and Ginny decide to go shopping for Ginny's wedding dress and quickly find themselves in a witches' dress shop in Diagon Alley.

"What about this one, Ginny?" Hermione holds up a cream colored dress but Ginny scoffs.

"I don't really want to look like my aunt Muriel, Hermione."

"Um, this one?"

"No."

"This one?"

"Mm...that's okay, I guess." She adds it to the pile. Hermione just sighs, never realizing Ginny was so picky.

Ginny steps into the changing room and uses her wand, magically transforming the dress onto her. "Y'know, you really should try some on too, Hermione."

"WHAT? Why?"

"Because, silly, you'll be getting married eventually, even if it isn't to my brother." Ginny peaks at herself in the mirror and shakes her head.

"Ugh. Why do they put so many frills on these things?" She glances around before choosing a few. "Here. Try these on."

Hermione suppresses a groan but does as asked. She hates dress shopping about as much as Ginny.

She puts on the dress: it's pure white with a laced bodice and long train. It has little capped sleeves and a sweetheart neckline.

"Wow, Hermione, you look-"

"Ginny!" Two familiar voices cry out her name and the twins walk into the shop, glancing around wearily at all the frilly materials.

"What now? I'm busy, if you haven't noticed."

George and Fred look affronted. "Well, fine. If you don't want us to tell you that mum found out you two left to go wedding dress shopping without her, then we won't say a word."

"Yeah, and we won't mention that she's coming here right now too..."

"We were just on our way to keep fixing up the shop, just down the road, but if that's how you want to be-"

"We can see we're not wanted," Fred finishes, and they both turn away, but Fred stops in surprise as he sees Hermione there, discussing the matter urgently with Ginny (both girls were trying to avoid Mrs. Weasley's attempts to control their weddings).

Fred turns, unable to help himself, as he studies Hermione. She looks absolutely beautiful. He never realized, underneath her robes, that she had such a fantastic figure. And she's so tiny but yet so curvy in the right places...

"A-hem." He looks up to find Ginny smirking at him with a knowing and slightly surprised look in her face. Shit. His little sister caught him oogling her best friend.

"Er..."

"FRED! WHY ARE YOU TAKING SO...oh." George watches Fred's red face and grins at his twin's predicament as Hermione blushes and Ginny keeps smirking.

"Well, I'll just be going then," he mutters and backs away, dragging George with him.

"Y'know, Hermione, I do believe that's the first time he's ever been rendered speechless," states Ginny calmly as she reaches for another dress.

Hermione remains silent. She can't believe that the sight of her in a wedding dress scares Fred that much. _He probably thinks I'm ugly, _she thinks sadly.

Ginny just glances at her out of the corner of her eye and wonders what's happening between her friend and her brother.

She isn't able to ask at that moment, however, because Mrs. Weasley walks into the store, clearly on a mission, looking angry.

The girls look at each other and moan, "Oh no."

* * *

Luckily, they both manage to leave the store with dresses and Mrs. Weasley wasn't too mad at them.

They arrive back at the Burrow in mid-afternoon and get a late lunch. They're sitting around the table, chatting about Ginny's wedding when the fireplace grows brightly and Ron steps from it.

Mrs. Weasley gasps, Ginny looks up in surprise, and Hermione feels furious at the sight of Ron, who looks thoroughly dazed...

and very snogged.

He sits down at the table in a stupor and grins stupidly. "Uh, hi. Just got back from Parvarti's. Sorry it took me so long, mum."

She doesn't say anything as she sets about getting him some food, but Ginny cannot keep quiet as Hermione runs from the room in tears. "How could you, Ron?"

"What?"

"What! You've been an absolute git to Hermione about her pairing with Fred and then you go and snog Parvarti as if you didn't even love Hermione!"

Ron just rolls his eyes. "What, as if she hasn't been snogging Fred behind my back? As if!"

Ginny glares, "Of course she hasn't! She loves you! Now, look what-"

She's cut off by the appearance of Fred in the doorway, his fists clenched at his sides. "What have you done to her?" Fred asks Ron angrily.

* * *

Thanks for the reviews! Sorry for the absence - I was on vacation :). Let me know what you think!


	4. Chapter 4

**Thanks for the reviews! Sorry it took a little long for me to update. Please review! It'll encourage me to update faster :).**

Previously:

_"What! You've been an absolute git to Hermione about her pairing with Fred and then you go and snog Parvarti as if you didn't even love Hermione!"_

_Ron just rolls his eyes. "What, as if she hasn't been snogging Fred behind my back? As if!"_

_Ginny glares, "Of course she hasn't! She loves you! Now, look what-"_

_She's cut off by the appearance of Fred in the doorway, his fists clenched at his sides. "What have you done to her?" Fred asks Ron angrily._

"Why d'you care? Since when are you so protective, anyway?" Mutters Ron, annoyed.

Fred stalks up to him. "Oh, gee. Let me think. Oh, I know! Since she was assigned to be my bloody wife! That's when, you idiot!" He scowls, remembering how angry he'd immediately become after seeing Hermione rushing past him in the hallway, with tears on her face.

"She should've been assigned to be my wife! Not yours!"

"Yeah, because you're such a charmer, snogging Parvarti behind her back," Ginny snorts. Ron stands up at the words, knocking over the kitchen chair, his fists raised like he's about to hit Fred, who growled angrily as Ginny revealed what Ron had done.

"ENOUGH!" The boys look up to find Mrs. Weasley standing there, her hands on her hips, glaring at them. "I've heard quite enough. Ronald Weasley, you should know better! You too, Fred! I expect my children to get along while they're in my household!"

Fred glares at her rebelliously and storms from the room. He hurries upstairs and passes the girls' room on his way to his own, when the sound of sobs draws him to a halt. He knows she's in there, crying her eyes out. He teeters uncertainly for a moment, debating whether he really wants to deal with a hormonal female right now. In the end, his good upbringing urges him to open the door.

He does so and finds Hermione sitting on her bed, her head buried in her knees with her arms wrapped protectively around herself. He is going to kill Ron.

"Hermione?"

She bolts up with a start, whipping out her wand and chucking a nonverbal spell in his direction. He casually deflects it and she looks at him, embarrassed.

"I am soo sorry, Fred! I thought maybe it was Ron or Harry. I didn't mean to do that. Old habits..."

"It's okay, love. Are you alright?"

She sits down with a huff as she crosses her arms and he can't help but smile as he sits next to her. "Uh, let me re-phrase that. Do you have a preferred method of how I should kill Ron?"

Her mouth quirks upward slightly. "No. He's been through so much-"

"Are you fucking mad-"

"Fred Weasley!"

"Sorry. But, Hermione, you can't be serious. My brother's a git. You've been through just as much as he has, more even. And you're not acting like he is." He moves closer to her and gently brushes away a lone tear.

"I know. It's just that, for once, I'd like things to be peaceful. Normal. We've finally finished that awful war and I was looking forward to just being me for a while without all the drama."

He smirks. "You do know that you're friends with Harry-I-Can't-Stay-Out-Of-Trouble Potter, right?"

"Ha ha."

"Just checking. Anyway, I don't think you should let that prat's actions get you down. He's not worth it. I know that I'm not the ideal mate right now, but maybe we shouldn't look for new-"

"FRED! GEORGE!" Fred's words are cut off by the sound of Percy's voice as he storms into the girls' room.

"Why, hello Percy. Lovely to see you. Fancy a chat?" He gestures toward the bed and primly pats the seat next to him, clearly holding back a laugh.

"NO! I don't _fancy a chat_! Now where are they?" He starts opening drawers and rummaging around.

"Hey! That's my stuff," squeals Hermione as he messes up her organized clothes.

"Yeah, speaking of which, how'd you know I was in here, Perce? Been stalking me again? Hoping to learn some tips with the ladies?" Fred winks at Hermione.

Percy turns back to look at them. "No! I wasn't! I checked all the rooms in the house, you bloody twat! Mum said you might be in here!"

Fred's eyebrows rise. "Bloody twat? Bit offensive, Perce. For future reference, I prefer to be called vulva. But what, pray tell, are you looking for?"

"YOU WELL KNOW WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR!"

"Gee, Perce. There's no need to shout. I could hear you all the way from Angelina's," laughs George, who has just apparated back from another date (with all the shouting they didn't hear the tell-tale crack of apparation) and is leaning casually in the doorway. Fred and George glance at each other mischievously.

"Y'know that Ginny's going to hex you for touching her stuff, right?" Fred goads.

Percy growls and stomps out of the room.

Hermione looks at the twins disapprovingly. "What did you two do now?"

George sits down on the other side of her and puts his arm around her shoulders, while Fred wraps an arm around her waist. "Now, Hermione, honestly, why would you think it was us?"

"Haven't we already told you this? We're innocent," adds Fred.

"Harmless, really."

"We would never, in a million years, dream of pranking Percy."

"Yeah, we'd never, say, hide his precious reports for the ministry."

"Never," Fred finishes, his eyes twinkling.

She frowns at them and shakes her head. George leans forward and wipes another tear from her soft cheek. "Got a little water there, Hermione. Fred been trying to snog you? Bloke spits something awful," he mock whispers.

Fred looks at his twin, offended. "OI! You were the one who bumped noses so hard with Katie Bell on your first kiss that you practically broke her nose!"

"That was a rumor!"

"BOYS!" They look up from their wrestling to find Hermione watching them, a half-exasperated and half-amused expression on her face.

"I'd really like to be alone, if you don't mind."

"We don't mind." Fred chastises himself for forgetting how upset she is. He pushes George off of him and George falls to the floor.

"Yeah, feel free to leave," jokes George, as he looks up at Hermione from his un-dignified position. Hermione leans down and swats his shoulder with her hand.

Fred is still sober, remembering how upset she was earlier. "George, maybe you should leave."

"Me? Why just me? Oh! I see how it is. Fine, kick out the better half. I'll leave you alone so you can snog and laugh behind my back," he wipes away a fake tear and saunters from the room.

"Fred, you should leave too." She won't look at him, pushing him away so he can't see the hurt she's feeling over Ron's betrayal.

"No," he whispers in her ear as he gathers her into his arms and pulls her into his lap. She protests and tries to pull away but he's not having it. "Mione, listen-No, stop trying to get away!- Listen to me for a moment. Just let me hold you, 'kay? I know we're not that close or anything but we are supposed to be dating and you need someone right now, even as only a friend."

She stops trying to escape and relaxes against him, burying her face against his toned chest. He rocks her back and forth and, after a few minutes, he hears a quiet sniffle, which she's clearly trying to hold back.

"Hey now, none of that. Let it all out, love. You deserve a good cry now and again."

She cries for a several minutes and looks up at him with a grimace as she sees the damage done to his shirt. "Why is it I'm always crying around you?"

"Because he's ugly," they hear from the doorway. They look up to find Charlie standing there, a knowing look in his eyes. "Whoa, now, Fred. I was just kidding. Mum sent me up here to let you two know that everyone's going to Diagon Alley, if you want to come. She said something about picking out bridesmaids dresses and tuxes and getting some parchment."

"Thanks. What are you doing here, anyway?"

"So glad you're happy to see me, little bro. I was just popping in and bringing home my bride for a visit."

"Who?"

"Wouldn't you like to know." Charlie rushes away and Fred makes to follow him before glancing uncertainly back at Hermione.

She laughs at his torn expression. He clearly wants to find out who Charlie's betrothed is and tease him with George's assistance. "Go ahead, I'm fine. I think I'll just spend some time reading by myself."

"You sure? I'll come back right away if you need me. Just, uh, hold on." He strides to Ginny's desk and pulls out a drawer, looking around in it for a moment before walking back to stand next to her, the small items in his hands.

"D.A. coins?" She looks at him, puzzled, as he hands her one. He resists the urge to smooth away the cute wrinkles as her eyebrows draw together.

"Ginny won't miss them. Sometimes she and Harry use them to get a hold of each other."

"Ah." She recalls their D.A. coins from fifth year and how they would become warm if someone changed the date on them. Fred hands her one and puts the other in his pocket.

"Oh, and, uh, avoid Mum later. I think she's trying to plan the wedding dates tonight."

"How do you know?"

"Because she's herself. Woman's beside herself with excitement over all this, now that she's over the shock. And George and I might've been eavesdropping this morning."

"Of course. Thanks...for everything." She leaves it unspoken, but he understands that she's thankful the comfort he provided as she cried.

"Not a problem." He moves toward the door but stops and heads back in her direction. He plants a soft kiss on her forehead before leaving the room.

She stares after him, wondering why she's only now realizing after all these years what a sweet man Fred Weasley is.

* * *

That night, Hermione finds herself sitting next to Ginny at the table after dinner. Mrs. Weasley is enthusiastically discussing wedding dates and the girls exchange an overwhelmed look. Their soon-to-be husbands are there as well. Harry looks decidedly uncomfortable and Fred is simply bored.

Somehow, Ron and the others managed to get off the hook by giving excuses. Hermione and Ginny, however, didn't have it in them to disappoint Mrs. Weasley.

"Now, let's see. The weddings have to be finished by March 1, so... Ginny and Harry, what dates were you thinking?"

"Er." Harry looks at his fiance nervously, unable to explain to Mrs. Weasley that the only thing he's thought about lately his snogging his future wife. Ginny rolls her eyes at his cowardice. Men.

"We thought December would be nice. Maybe around Christmas? Everyone will be around anyway, so it's convenient," states Ginny practically. Harry nods in agreement.

"Wonderful. I'll owl some of the Order and see what days everyone's available. Maybe the Saturday before. Fred, Hermione darling?"

They look at each other awkwardly: Has Mrs. Weasley forgotten they're going to re-petition for new mates in three months, by November?

"Mum, we're not-"

"We haven't discussed it yet, Mrs. Weasley. Can we let you know?" Hermione interrupts Fred and he gives her an incredulous look.

_Why did she do that,_ he wonders silently. She gives him a look that clearly says: keep your mouth shut.

"Why, of course. That's fine. Soon, though."

"We'll let you know soon."

Harry, Ginny, Hermione, and Fred get up from the table, breathing a sigh of relief as Mrs. Weasley moves off to find Ron and George and badger them about their wedding dates.

"I love her, I do, but I just want to be married. I don't want all the fuss," says Ginny quietly.

"Yeah, I've had enough fuss for the last, say, 17 years or so," Harry quips.

Fred can't help himself as he says, "Oh, please, Harry! You really need to add some excitement to your life."

"Yeah, don't be so dull, mate. I mean, it's not like you've been fighting in a bloody war or anything," adds George, suddenly appearing.

"Hey! Where've you been all day? I've hardly seen you! And where were you when Mum was organizing our weddings?" Fred looks at his brother, clearly annoyed.

George smirks at his twin. "Unlike you, Freddie, I know better than to stick around for marriage talks. I already had to sit through the shagging talk with you a few years ago."

"That _was_ awkward," notes Fred as Harry snickers.

Hermione motions to Fred and he nods at his twin. "Well, catch up with you later, Georgie. A beautiful woman desires my full attention."

"Oh, is Ron around?" George jokes. Things get tense at the comment. George peers around to find Harry standing awkwardly and Hermione looking like she's going to murder someone. "What? Too soon?"

"You think?" Fred smacks him on the back of the head and follows Hermione from the room.

They wander into the living room, currently bereft of any members of the Weasley family, and Fred sits down next to her on the couch.

"Sorry about him, Mione. Tack isn't his strong point."

"OI! I HEARD THAT!" George's voice calls from the other room.

Fred grimaces and casts a silencing spell so their conversation won't be overheard this time. "So, looks like we need to talk."

"Yes, we do. I'm sorry, Fred. I didn't mean to tell your mum that we'd tell her the date later but I just couldn't bear to remind her that we'll be splitting up."

His heart aches suddenly at the thought of not being with this stunning witch. With a start, he wonders if he's beginning to fancy her. _Nah, _he thinks, even as his fingers itch with the urge to again brush back the stubborn, curly hair on her forehead. _She has beautiful hair, _he notes.

"It's okay, Hermione. But we've got to tell her something."

"How about we just sit her down tomorrow and remind her?"

"You up for that?"

"And why wouldn't I be?" She asks in that haughty tone of hers.

"Well, things have been kind of barmy around here with Ron acting like the world's biggest git and I don't want my mum to pressure you or make you more emotional-"

"I am not emotional, Fred Weasley!"

"Right." He bites back a sarcastic moment, knowing that now isn't the time to mention that those tears he saw earlier today must've been his imagination.

"Good. That's settled then. We'll tell her tomorrow. Together," she finishes with an air of authority and stands up.

But, little did the couple know that tomorrow everything would change.


	5. Chapter 5

The day started out normally enough.

Hermione awakes in the early morning, to the sound of birds chirping. She feels quite ready to face on the day, and rolls her eyes at a still-snoring Ginny. Unlike her, the Weasley children refuse to open their eyes until nine or ten in the morning, if not later.

She quickly gets dressed and walks quietly downstairs, laughing slightly at the sound of Harry talking in his sleep as she passes his door.

"No! S'not a joke! I... like...truffles..." he mumbles just loudly enough for her to hear as she tiptoes by.

She arrives in the kitchen to find Mrs. Weasley already up and cooking a delicious-smelling breakfast, and Hermione smiles at the motherly woman.

"Good morning, Mrs. Weasley!"

"Good morning, dear. The post hasn't come yet, I'm afraid," she adds as she spots Hermione looking around hopefully. She's been waiting eagerly for her response letters to the ministry jobs. She feels let down that they still haven't arrived.

"Morning!" Fred practically bounces into his seat, wearing a wide grin as he spots Hermione.

"Why do you look so cheery this early? What are you even doing up, anyway?" Hermione watches him suspiciously.

"Whoa, Hermione! No questions before the bloke's had a chance to eat something. Us Weasley's can't operate on an empty stomach," says George as he saunters into the room and sits next to her.

He continues in a quieter tone, "But, to answer your question, someone in our room forgot that we were brewing a potion in there and it exploded because it got too hot overnight." He looks at his twin accusingly.

"Not a fun way to wake up. George and I were covered in green goo. For a moment there, I thought he was having some sort of allergic reaction," laughs Fred.

"It was your fault!"

"Was not!"

"BOYS! What is this I hear about you brewing potions in your room again? Didn't I tell you that is simply unacceptable? Well, what do you have to say for yourselves?" Mrs. Weasley had been listening to them as she finished the pancakes.

"Reckon she'd notice if we used obliviate on her?" Whispers George, tilting his head closer to his brother.

"Naw. Last time we tried that, Ginny ratted us out, remember?" Fred leans close to whisper as well.

"Shit. Forgot about that."

Hermione scowls disapprovingly at them and they smile charmingly back, looking the picture of innocence. She shakes her head in exasperation.

Mrs. Weasley is still glaring at them.

"Sorry, mum."

"Yeah, sorry."

"It better not have exploded on the walls again! Honestly!" She turns back to the stove to take something off a burner and the twins sigh in relief as she becomes occupied with breakfast preparation once more.

Mrs. Weasley places the food in front of them: fried eggs, pancakes, French toast, a pitcher of orange juice, sausage, and biscuits gently fall onto the table with a flick from her wand.

Fred rubs his hands together in anticipation and steals the nearest biscuit, shoving it into his mouth. Next to him, George does the same, his cheeks puffing out like a chipmunk.

Hermione laughs, half-amused, and half-frustrated. Why do they always eat as if they're starving? "_Really_, Fred? George? You aren't even going to ask if I want any biscuits?"

"Oops! Uh, 'ant this 'un?" George opens his mouth to show her his half-chewed food and she makes a sound of disgust.

Fred swats him on the shoulder. "Hey! The dame has a sensitive stomach, you git! It's bad enough that she had to see your ugly mug this early!"

George looks at him, amused, and is about to send a snappy retort when they hear a loud yell from upstairs. Everyone looks up with a start and they race towards the sound, pulling out their wands, fearing the worst as the yelling continues.

Panicked thoughts flit through Hermione's mind. Had death eaters somehow broken their wards? Had Harry or Ginny hurt Ron for acting poorly yesterday? Was Harry's scar burning again? Had Voldemort somehow returned?

The thoughts beat through her mind like a drum, cascading upon her false illusions of safety. What if something bad is happening? What if someone gets hurt again? Hermione's not sure she can take any more pain than she's already been through. She's not sure she can watch someone else die for her again. The images of Tonks and Lupin's deathly pale faces lying on the floor of the Great Hall, with the rest of the bodies, come unbidden into her mind and her breathing becomes shallow.

The shouting continues as they all run, with much panting, up the many flights of stairs to Ron and Harry's room, where the source of the noise is located.

The twins barely glance at each other with a grim nod, promising in that single instant to back each other up no matter what, before they barge into the room, with Hermione and Mrs. Weasley following closely. Dread fills Hermione as she attempts to anticipate the sight before her.

The scene they see definitely isn't what Hermione was expecting:

Two buckets were haphazardly sprawled on the floor, their contents currently on Ron and Harry. Harry sat in his bed, soaked completely to the bone by some sticky substance, his t-shirt sticking to his form and his dark hair plastered to his forehead. Glancing at him, Hermione knew he's okay so she turns to find Ron sitting on his bed, covered in ... were those feathers?

Ginny arrives just as Hermione is about to ask the hell is going on.

"Damn," Ginny says. "I knew I should have floated the syrup a little farther to the left!"

Every head in the room turns to swivel towards her and she doesn't even have the audacity to blush. Hermione attempts to calm down her heart, which is currently trying to beat its way out of her chest. Mrs. Weasley gapes at her daughter, for she had never known how much trouble Ginny really got into at Hogwarts.

"Ginny? YOU did this?" Mrs. Weasley puts her hands on her hips, a sign that she's about to go into a long tirade.

Hermione can't help it; she bursts out in laughter: gut-wrenching, tear-forming, joyful, relieved laughter.

Everyone glances at her in surprise before the twins, then Ginny, Mrs. Weasley, and finally even Harry and Ron join in.

After a few minutes, they manage to calm down, although the occasional small giggle could still be heard.

"Mum, the bacon's burning," George notes, in an effort to get her from the room.

Mrs. Weasley rushes from the room at the smell of burning bacon, telling Ginny, "We will talk about this later, young lady," and leaving them alone.

"Okay. What happened, Gin? Why'd you do it?" Asks George.

"Not that we don't admire it," adds Fred with a wink. Hermione scowls at him but a smile breaks through despite herself. She can't help it. She's just glad that they're all okay. _Maybe I let my imagination run away with me a bit_, she admits to herself in her head.

"I meant to aim it at Ron, not you, Harry. I'm really sorry," Ginny sighs.

Hermione turns to find Harry looking down at his shirt and trying to pry it off without getting syrup all over his hands.

She then watches Ron, still attempting to get feathers out of his hair. Her lips twitch in amusement and she laughs quietly again as she suddenly realizes exactly what Ginny had been trying to do.

"But why the feathers and syrup?" Harry looks bewildered as Hermione giggles.

Ginny shrugs. "Well, in muggle studies this year, we learned about the American Revolution and how peasants would tar and feather authority figures that they disliked. Like if they were being a jerk or something. I've always wanted to try it out and Ron was being such a prat yesterday that I couldn't help myself. My aim was a little off, though. I levitated both buckets into the room and I guess I poured the first one too soon."

They all surreptitiously watch Ron out of the corners of their eyes, wondering if he's going to blow up at them in anger, but surprisingly, he remains quiet.

Hermione's attention is drawn from Ron, however, at the sound of Harry's groan. "Ginny! Help me get this bloody thing off!"

A wicked smile comes over her face. "Gladly."

"And that would be our cue to leave," says Fred.

"Don't do anything we wouldn't do, Potter," George says. "Wait. On second thought, do _everything_ that we wouldn't do."

Everyone leaves the room except Ron, Ginny, and Harry. Hermione walks in front of Fred and downstairs as George runs ahead of them.

Fred's hand on her arm stops her suddenly and she looks behind her to find him close...too close.

"Mione?"

"What's wrong?"

"Uh, are you, um, doing okay today?"

"I'll be okay, Fred," she whispers, fighting the tears that threaten to come into her eyes as she thinks of how Ron betrayed her by kissing Parvarti yesterday. "Seeing Ron with a red face covered in feathers did help, though!"

He laughs. "Can't blame you there. Want to go on another date today?"

"Um, sure." Little butterflies of anticipation attempt to claw their way out of her stomach. _Stop it! You're being ridiculous! It's just a date! You've done this before!_

She ignores the nerves, trying to attribute them to a lack of food. Yet, a little nagging voice in the back of her head insists that she _might _just have a small crush on Fred. Lately, even a brush of his fingers against hers would cause her heart to speed up.

"Ridiculous," she mutters.

"What's ridiculous?" Fred asks as they sit down at the table.

"Nothing! Just that you and George already ate most of the biscuits!"

"'Ant 'un?" George opens his mouth again and she sighs, and then smiles. One thing's for sure, even breakfast isn't boring around these two.

She's nearly finished eating when the others troop downstairs and begin filling their plates. In fact, she's about to bring her plate to the scrubbing brush at the sink, already hard at work without any hands to guide it, when an owl swoops into the room.

She startles as it stops directly in front of her and holds out its leg. She takes the letter and barely has time to pay it before another two owls swoop in front of her.

"Blimey, Hermione! Get enough fan mail?"

"Shut up, Harry! You're the one who keeps getting love letters from a crazy stalker asking for a lock of your hair!"

Everyone stares at her in surprise, some of them hiding grins, because she doesn't usually spat things like that at Harry, but, to his credit, he just laughs as she shoots him an apologetic look.

She feels bad at the remark towards him but can't help it; she's nervous and not herself as she stares at the letters in front of her. Hands trembling, Hermione opens the first letter, marked with the Ministry of Magic seal.

"Dear Ms. Granger,

We are very pleased to announce that you have a position, if you so desire, in the _Department of Magical Co-operation_!" She squeals and silently reads the rest of the letter.

"C'mon, Hermione! Open the others," Ginny urges, clearly impatient.

Hermione tears open the next one, and barely containing her excitement, opens the third.

She looks up to find everyone watching her with bated breath. "They've all accepted me! Magical Creatures, St. Mungo's, and I bet the rest will come tomorrow!"

Everyone gets up to hug and congratulate her and she shivers as Fred whispers in her ear, "Great job, Mione. Knew you'd get in."

A blush stains her cheeks as she steps back from his arms and she quickly grabs Ginny in a hug, not wanting anyone, even Fred, to see her reaction to him. Ginny looks at her with a slightly-knowing smile when she pulls back.

"This is so wonderful! Oh, Hermione!" Mrs. Weasley holds her so tightly that Hermione can barely breathe but she wouldn't give it up for the world: this is her family.

The only person to stand there awkwardly is Ron. After everyone has begun to go their separate ways for the day: the twins to the shop, Harry and Ginny to take a walk, and Mrs. Weasley to do laundry, Ron still stands there.

"Um, Hermione? Could I talk to you for a second?"

"Don't you have something better to do, Ronald? Like snog Parvarti?"

"Please, Hermione. Just let me explain-"

"Explain! EXPLAIN? HOW DARE YOU THINK YOU HAVE A RIGHT TO EXPLAIN THIS TO ME AS IF YOU DID NOTHING WRONG, RONALD WEASLEY! I CANNOT BEL-"

"HERMIONE!"

"WHAT?"

He steps closer. "Please stop shouting. Mum's going to come in here and murder me for hurting you if you don't. Can't we please just sit for a second?"

"Fine," she huffs and sits down at the table, crossing her arms and glaring at him.

"Er, right. Okay. Ever since we got the letters, I've been really jealous and I've been acting stupid-"

Hermione snorts.

"I know I have been, alright? It feels unfair because I thought we'd finally be together without some bloody deatheaters and Voldemort after us and then we still can't because of this dumb marriage law. It's frustrating!"

"And _what_ does that have to do with you snogging Parvarti?"

"I'm getting to it. Erm, after your date with my prat of a... sorry. My brother, I saw how happy you were. You looked as if you had a really great time and I got angry and jealous and upset. I knew I had to see Parvarti eventually and, I dunno, I think I was trying to make you jealous. And then I got there and she just kind of threw herself at me. She's okay and I guess I need to make the best of the situation. She's pretty shaken up after the war and she needs me. I'm staying with her as my fiancé," he finishes lamely.

"Oh! Of_ course_! She threw herself at you! How could I be so oblivious? It's not like you had any choice in the matter! It's not as if you could have told her to stop doing it, Ronald Weasley! Just because the war hit her hard like it did the rest of us doesn't mean you have to marry her! You could've just been friends! You. Are. A. Pig." She punctuates each word with a jab of her wand at his chest.

He looks at her wand nervously. "Now, Hermione, let's not be too hasty-"

"HASTY! Hasty? You go and kiss some bloody gossipy girl that you know I don't like and you think I'm being hasty? You told me you loved me, Ron! We were going to re-petition to be together! Now you've decided to marry this-this...bimbo! I can't believe you!"

He doesn't have a chance to reply as she turns and whirls from the room, her hair whipping about her head because she turned so quickly.

He looks down and sighs because that didn't exactly go as he planned. He can't help but grimace at the singed hole her wand left in his shirt, ironically right over his heart.

Hermione rushes to her room, furious. She slams the door loudly and collapses down on her bed.

"Of all the-"

"Of all the what?" She jumps in fright as she looks over and finds Fred relaxing on Ginny's bed, studying her.

He notices her reaction and raises his hands sheepishly. "Sorry. Didn't mean to scare you, love."

"What are _you_ doing here?" She clenches her hand over her wand.

"Whoa! Calm down! I was here because you said you'd go on another date with me and I have the day off so I thought I'd surprise...uh, you..." He looks at her, his voice trailing off, as she moans and puts her hands over her face, sinking back down on her bed.

"I'm so sorry, Fred. I'm just upset and I don't know if a date is really a good idea right now. I mean, I have to decide which job I'm going to take and I really should send a letter to my parents letting them know."

"Yeah, but that's not all, is it? Two seconds ago, you were thrilled with your options at breakfast. Why're you actually upset? WAIT! Did Ron do something? I swear if that git has upset you, I will hex him!"

She smiles fondly at him as he stands there, ready to defend her. "No, but I guess our plans have changed."

"Changed?" He sits next to her on the bed and puts an arm around her shoulders. "What d'you mean?"

She shrugs and looks at her lap, unable to watch his response. "Ron doesn't want to marry me anymore. So, I guess you're stuck with me." At his noise of surprise, she looks up at his face to find a shocked expression. "U-unless... y-you...have someone...else," she whispers in dismay, feeling like a fool. She's about to get up and move away from him when he responds to her statement.

"Huh? Oh, no! Of course not! I'm just surprised, is all," he gives her a reassuring glance.

"A-are you sure, because I'd understand if you wanted to find someone more attractive or-"

He cuts her off. "Mione, don't you dare say that again!"

"What?"

"You are an attractive bird. You know that, right?"

She won't meet his eyes and he lifts a finger to firmly grasp her chin and pull her face up to his. "Hey," he whispers tenderly, pushing a brown curl out of her eyes, "You're beautiful and intelligent, Hermione Granger. And I would be honored to be your husband."

"Really?"

"Really."

She beams at him and he does something that catches them both off guard. His face moves closer, seemingly of it's own accord, and his lips gently brush against hers in a chaste kiss. Shocked, she stares at him.

"Uh, sorry 'bout that. Sometimes I do things without thinking." He looks at her nervously to gauge her reaction and is happy when she continues to smile even brighter.

"So, where are we going on this mysterious date?"

He smirks impishly. "Wouldn't you like to know?"

With a sigh of relief, he watches Hermione quickly tidy her hair and put on her jacket before he grasps her small hand tightly within his own. Excitement overcomes him as he thinks of what he has planned: this is going to be perfect.

* * *

_Thanks for the reviews! You all almost didn't get to see this chapter because my document crashed before I could save...I'm so glad for document recovery! Please review!_


	6. Chapter 6

_Special thanks to BeaterBabe, CocoRocks, guest, and Angelpotter022 for reviewing! Your reviews made me smile and were wonderful. Remember to, if you so desire, leave your name so I can P.M. a reply! :) Thanks!_

* * *

"Wow." That was the only word Hermione seemed capable of uttering at the moment: "Wow."

Fred grins at her rakishly. "Is that all you can say?" He turns to find her standing there, jaw open and eyes suspiciously moist.

"Oh, Fred," she murmurs before throwing herself at him and giving him a fierce hug. He wraps his arms around her gently, secretly loving the feeling of her in his arms. She fits perfectly.

Hermione pulls back to gaze once again upon the scene: For their date, he had decided to take her to the best place in the world. It was a bookstore, filled from wall to wall, ceiling-to-ceiling with books. Everywhere she looks, there are books. She's in heaven.

What's better is that he somehow managed to pay the owner and get the shop to himself for their date. The lights are off, and candles float by them, already lit. The ceiling is enchanted to be a calm, night sky with a full moon, shooting stars, and everything.

"I think I love you," she whispers, half-kidding, but Fred's heart gives a little lurch at the sentiment, and he suddenly finds his voice huskier.

"A-hem. Right. Well, I figured we just ate so you wouldn't be hungry, but I thought this would be okay."

"Okay? This is great! Wait...you planned this, didn't you? I mean, you must've planned it for who knows how long in order to secure the place." She looks at him in wonder, and that voice inside her head triumphantly crows that Ron wouldn't have EVER thought to do something so sweet.

"Er, I guess... But, look; it's not a big deal, Hermione. Come sit down, yeah?" He pats the spot next to him on a blanket already placed on the floor and she smiles shyly.

He lies back on the ground and looks up at the sky and she does the same, turning her head to thank him once again. Before she can get the words, out, though, Fred asks a soft question. "So, what're you going to do?"

"Do?"

"About the jobs and stuff." He's not looking at her and she gets the sense that he's nervous for some reason, but she quickly dismisses the thought. Why would he be nervous?

"I honestly don't know. There are so many choices. I guess I was afraid to believe they'd all pick me and now that they have, I don't know who to choose."

He sits up with a growl of frustration. "Seriously, Hermione? This again, really? I've already told you, you're a beautiful, intelligent, wonderful witch and anyone would be lucky to be around you."

She blushes and shrugs, "Thanks."

"No! Don't bloody thank me, woman! Ugh!" He moves over so that he's suddenly hovering above her and she blinks at the close proximity and the aggravation that's sparking in his eyes.

"Hermione, you need to stop putting yourself down like this! You _are_ a great, intelligent, stunning witch, alright?" When she doesn't respond, he threatens, "Don't make me kiss you again."

She laughs slightly and nods and he suddenly realizes that he's almost lying on top of her. "Oops. Sorry. Got a little carried away there. Not that you minded, I'm sure." He winks at her and she rolls her eyes.

"So, what're you going to do?"

"I don't know," she sighs and he leaves it at that, not wanting to nag her, even though his mind is nervously hoping she'll pick a job that won't cause her to spend hours away from him, like St. Mungos' training would.

They spend the next hour that way, talking about everything and anything. She learns even more about Fred: He's actually quite smart, he loves muggle music, he can't dance to save his life (although he'll prank her if she ever tells anyone), he has never eaten pizza before, and he doesn't know what he'd do without George in his life.

He, in turn, learns about Hermione. She hates the color pink with a passion, will work hard to prove herself at anything, hates being the last chosen in sports, and cannot stand bubblegum of any kind.

"I love peanut butter, though," she finishes.

He lies on his side and looks at her bewildered. "What's pea-nut but-ter?" He annunciates.

"You've never had peanut butter? I can't believe this! Or pizza. That's ridiculous! On our next date, I'm going to..." She stops speaking, embarrassed that she dares presume she gets to plan their next date. Hell, maybe there won't even be a next date.

"Hermione?"

"Uh, I...sorry. I know you might be busy, anyway, and you like planning the dates when we do go-"

"Don't be ridiculous," he echoes her earlier statement. "On our next three hundred dates, you can feed me this bizza and peanut putter, or whatever it's called."

She laughs but doesn't correct him. "Okay."

He sighs and moves, and it's then that she realizes at some point in the last hour he'd grabbed her hand. Fred sits up and looks at her, noting the soft, brown curls fanning about her head in the candelight and her cheeks pink in the warm summer air. She's gorgeous. His expression fills with desire as he eyes her plump lips. "Hermione?"

"Hm?"

"Can I kiss you?"

She sits bolt upright. "I-I...Well...yes?"

He laughs. "It's okay. I promise I won't play a prank on you or anything."

"A prank while you're kissing someone?"

"Well... one time George kissed Angelina and he enchanted a firework to go off behind her. Bloke was nearly killed because of the fright he gave her."

While he's talking, Fred casually reaches for his wand and gives a slight flick, unnoticed by Hermione, who's looking at his face as he talks. With a whiz, a firework comes up from behind an armchair and zooms right behind Hermione, and then explodes.

Hermione jumps nearly a foot and fearfully clutches her hair, even though Fred created the firework to make sure that no sparks could light anything on fire. "Fred Weasley! How dar-"

Her words are cut off, however, by his lips. Hermione remains frozen as Fred's soft, damp lips gently mold her own in the most amazing kiss she's experienced in her life.

With a sigh, she forgets her anger at him from a moment before and melts against his muscled torso. His arms pull her into his lap and she wraps her delicate hands around his neck, toying with his short hair. He gently swipes his tongue across her lower lip and she opens her mouth slightly, their tongues sliding along.

Finally, they have to break for air and they pull back. Hermione blushes slightly to find herself on his lap, but his arms remain firmly around her and she gives up trying to move away. She instead attempts to calm her racing heart, sure that it's about to beat straight out of her chest for him to see.

No one has ever kissed her like that. Krum's kiss was clumsy and disgustingly wet. Ron's kisses were frantic with the need and desire of a teenage boy; they were entirely too rough. Fred's kiss is perfect. His lips are just wet enough and they're so gentle. And they almost seem to burn her very skin as he trails a few soft kisses on her neck.

She's trembling, he realizes suddenly, and pulls back to look her in the face. "Mione?" He asks in concern. "I didn't hurt you or offend you or anything?"

"N-no. It's just that no one's ever kissed me like that before," she whispers.

"You're saying my brother never kissed you? I _knew_ he was mental but not that mad." He looks confused and she giggles at his baffled expression.

"No. He has. But not like that."

A lightbulb seems to go off in his head. A smug look comes over his face and his manner reminds her immensely of a peacock, proudly strutting with its feathers displayed. "Well, what can I say? I'm a handsome bloke."

Hermione laughs and stands up. "We should go, before your head gets any bigger. You might not fit through the door, Fred."

"Har, har. Very cute, Ms. Granger. But, in case you've forgotten, we did apparate here."

He gathers their stuff and, with a few spells, restores the bookstore to its previous condition. He puts the money for the store rental on the owner's front desk and then clasps her hand in his.

"Fred?" She asks just before they're about to apparate.

"Yeah?"

"Thank you."

With a small smile, he nods and swiftly bends down to peck her on the lips before the familiar squeezing sense of apparation overcomes them both and they find themselves back in the Burrow's kitchen.

Mrs. Weasley, currently working on lunch, turns around to find them there. "Oh, good! I was wondering what you two got up to. You're back just in time. We're going to discuss the details of the weddings and whatnot after lunch."

The pair share a look and groan silently. _Here we go again_, thinks Hermione.

After a delicious lunch, during which Ron is conspicuously absent (and Hermione is relieved), Mrs. Weasley clears the table and Harry, Ginny, Fred, George, Hermione, and Angelina all sit down.

"Where is Ronald? That boy," mutters Mrs. Weasley. "I told him to be here!"

"Yeah, she told me too, but I wasn't planning on it until Angelina came to the shop and threatened to make me sleep on the couch tonight. There's only so many times I can look through a bloody wedding magazine," whines George quietly so his mother can't hear. His fiancé, sitting next to him, glares and swats him upside the head.

"Ow! What was that for?" George rubs his head as Mrs. Weasley walks out of the kitchen to see if Ron's in his room.

"For being disrespectful to your mother, George Weasley! She loves us all very much and sent me an owl, telling us to come!" Angelina crosses her arms and Hermione and Harry hold back laughs. George meekly nods his agreement and apologizes. He has clearly met his match with this one.

"Oh, it's okay, Georgie. Don't cry again. He's sensitive," says Fred to Harry. Harry laughs out loud at this and receives a nasty glance from George, causing Harry to cover up his laugh in a cough instead.

"Cough drop?" Hermione asks innocently and that sets everyone off. Mrs. Weasley stomps back into the room, annoyed that her youngest has conveniently gone 'missing'.

She takes in the scene at a glance, wondering why everyone's laughing. "What are you two doing now?" She asks, staring at George and Fred with an exasperated expression.

"Relax, Mum. We're just teaching Harry here some manners. Right, Mione?"

"Of course, Mrs. Weasley." She smiles sweetly at the older woman, who nods and sits down.

"Right, then. Now, we've settled on Harry and Ginny's wedding date. It'll be at Christmas, after Ginny's on break from Hogwarts."

"But, Mum-"

"No! Do not argue about this with me, again, Ginevra! You are getting on the Hogwarts Express next week! George? Angelina?"

"Erm, we have until March first, right? So, maybe February first?" George offers tentatively.

"Two months before our birthday?" Fred looks at his twin in surprise. "Easy anniversary to remember, eh, George?"

"Shut it," his twin growls good naturally and Angelina's mouth twitches toward a smile.

"February first is fine with me, Mrs. Weasley," the dark-eyed beauty states as she gazes lovingly at her fiancé. George spontaneously leans over and kisses her, causing a groan from Ginny.

"Euw!"

George pulls back to look at her. "Hey, at least you haven't seen what I saw last week. Remember? I walked in on you and Harr-"

"MUM! UH! Guess what!" Ginny interrupts her brother, not wanting her mother to know that Harry and her were practically shagging upstairs the other day. George had been cold to Harry that night at dinner. (Fred had wondered why Harry's mashed potatoes had turned spontaneously into maggots.)

"Yes, dear?"

"Oh, uh, never mind. I forget," Ginny says, as the twins smile at her with raised brows.

Mrs. Weasley looks at Fred and Hermione next. "Fred? Hermione? What date were you two thinking?"

Things in the room become slightly tense. Harry, Ginny, and George have all secretly wondered if Hermione and Fred were going to re-petition for a new partner after three months, so that Hermione could be with Ron. They're pleasantly surprised, however, when Hermione's the one who speaks up first.

"We were thinking maybe Valentine's Day, if that's okay, Mrs. Weasley? That's a little over five months away," Hermione notes.

Fred just nods, because they really hadn't thought to discuss the date, but that sounds good to him. "Yeah, that sounds good."

George smiles and says quite loudly, "Another easy date to remember for your anniversary, eh, Fred?"

Fred hits George upside the head, mimicking Angelina's earlier action.

"Oi! I'm not a bloody punching bag, y'know!" George rubs the sore spot. Hermione snorts at his wounded expression.

"All right. Well, that just leaves Ron and Parvarti, then." Mrs. Weasley says.

"Are we done then?"

"No, Harry, we're not done! Men," Ginny sniffs, but at least Harry has the grace to look sheepish.

"Ginny's right, dear. We have so much to do! Let's see...guests lists, locations, security, flower arrangements, menu, music, bridal party..." Mrs. Weasley keeps going but Fred tunes her out, his head perched in his hand, a yawn escaping every once in a while. Hermione, though, feels a surge of love for the older woman, because it's obvious she cares deeply about her children and their friends.

They spend the next hour going over details of the wedding, much to the dismay of the men. Hermione and Ginny get really into it, eventually, and chatter excitedly about how they want everything to look.

Finally, after Fred's counted the grooves on the wooden kitchen table for the umpteenth time (there are thirty-three if you count the scratch caused by his and George's dung bomb explosion earlier this year), they're finished.

Everyone leaves to pursue some relaxation time: the boys and Ginny to the quidditch pitch and Hermione retreats to her room.

She writes that fateful letter to her parents there. She tells them about her jobs offers, knowing they'll be thrilled for her, and then she summons some Gryffindor courage to inform them about her impending wedding with Fred. She knows they're going to be upset, to say the least, that their young daughter is being forced to marry by the wizarding government. She's not looking forward to their response, but can only hope for the best.

She's just snuggled up with a blanket in her bed and begun to read her favorite novel (_Pride and Prejudice_) when the sound of apparation surprises her, and she's crushed against her mattress by a heavy body.

"HERMIONE!" Fred bellows, his voice warped by fear.

"Fred, what are yo-?"

Her question is answered as an explosion rocks the very foundation of the Burrow.

Then, everything becomes dark and Hermione Granger knows no more.

* * *

_Yes, I know I'm cruel for leaving a cliffhanger, but it happens sometimes. Thanks for the reviews/alerts. Please review! _


	7. Chapter 7

_Thanks for all the awesome reviews! :) Wow, you guys don't like cliffhangers, do you? Can't blame you! I promised I'd update soon, so here you go! A side note, if you expect this story to be all kicks and giggles, I'm sorry, but that's not how I write. I try to capture the essence of what the characters are going through, whatever that may be. Happy endings, though, are a given for me :)._

* * *

Pain is all she knows. This inexpressible torture comes up from the depths of the darkness to swallow her whole. Surely, this is hell? It must be, for it's as if her very hair has nerves that have been stretched too taut by merciless hands.

Almost as soon as she realizes that she's in pain, Hermione notices that she's lying on an unfamiliar, firm mattress.

Everything smells antiseptically clean and unfamiliar sounds buzz in her ears: feet tapping on a linoleum floor, voices murmuring, spells being cast, someone crying... It's too much for her-the noises and smells. She attempts to close them out, and, as a result, the pain becomes all that's left, as it mockingly leers in her face.

This pain is much too similar to that which she experienced at the end of the war, she suddenly remembers. Without warning, a flashback grabs her.

_"TELL ME, MUDBLOOD! WHERE IS IT?"_

_"I DON'T KNOW!"_

_"LIAR! CRUCIO!" Bellatrix stares down at her with a gleeful, twisted, completely insane expression. _

_Hermione fleetingly wonders if she's going to die as her body spasms and twitches, every nerve ending on fire. _

"HERMIONE!"_ Who is that?,_ she wonders as a voice draws her out of the horrible memory. She hears the sound of sheets rustling as they're drawn back and the sound of someone moving closer but doesn't dare open her eyes. She's afraid to find Bellatrix's dark eyes staring back at her, even though the despicable bitch is long-since dead.

"FRED! YOU'RE OKAY!" George's voice yells a little too loudly and she grimaces.

"Love? Please, please, please, open your eyes." That familiar voice, closer now, sounds desperate and a warm, calloused hand clasps her own. For some reason, she feels safer due to that simple touch, and the pain recedes a little.

"What happened?" Someone who sounds suspiciously like Harry asks.

"There was an explosion-"

"Funnily enough, I think we noticed that, Fred," a feminine voice interjects sarcastically.

"Shut up, Ginny. I wasn't sure if everyone was inside."

"Well, we weren't inside; just you and Hermione were inside the house. Mrs. Weasley had gone to Diagon Alley to buy groceries, I think. But we heard the explosion from the quidditch pitch", states Harry.

"Freddie? You should lie back down," says a worried voice that Hermione recognizes as George.

"I'm okay, George. Really. Besides, you should be happy. You really are the more handsome one, now!"

George's voice sounds distinctly relieved because he knows, if Fred can joke, then he's just fine. "Always was-"

"And always will be. Yeah, I've heard that before, dear brother. You just keep your fantasies," Fred snorts.

"You _are_ okay, right, Fred?" Ginny asks worriedly.

It's the thought of Fred in pain that causes Hermione's eyes to reluctantly open—she needs to see for herself that he's okay. Her eyes feel swollen and almost like they're glued shut so it takes her a moment. The light is so blindingly bright that she immediately closes her eyes and groans.

"MIONE!" Fred's hand on hers tightens and everyone crowds around her bed.

"Too...bright," she manages to croak out, realizing that her throat feels like someone dumped sand down it.

"You heard the woman! Shut the blinds!" She would've laughed at George's command if she didn't detect the fear still evident in it. Someone casts a nonverbal spell and the blinds close, bathing the room in darkness.

"Hermione?"

She opens her eyes and finds that it doesn't hurt so much to do so the second time. She sees Fred's dim form hovering over her, his expression anxious.

She lets her eyes devour his face, searching for any signs of damage. She gasps when she sees his hair is nearly singed off and his face is covered with scratches.

"F-Fred?"

"I'm okay, love. It's not nearly as painful as it looks," Fred says.

"How are you feeling, Hermione?" Harry asks softly.

She turns her head to find him sitting on the other side of her bed. "Mm...okay, I guess. Can I have some water?"

Ginny moves toward her and Fred lifts up her head while Ginny holds the glass to her parched lips.

"Thanks," she says in a clearer tone, feeling slightly better.

"So, where am I? What happened?"

"We're in St. Mungo's," Fred informs her, after looking around. He did just wake up, after all.

"There was an explosion," Harry continues, and Hermione's mind flashes back and she suddenly remembers the blast.

"Is everyone okay? Who did it?"

"Everyone was out of the house, except you, and Fred, who was coming upstairs to go see what you were up to."

She looks at Fred after Ginny's explanation and her face is a large question mark. "How did you know?"

He stands, swaying on his feet, and meekly allows George to draw him into a chair by her bed. "I saw them flying towards the house through the window as I was walking up the stairs and I knew something bad was going to happen. I did the only thing I could think of and went to protect you."

"Saw _them_?"

"Deatheaters," Harry says darkly and the others growl.

"But how did they get past the wards?"

She looks up to find everyone, besides a confused Fred, glaring at Harry, who looks very ashamed. "I'm so sorry, Hermione," he says.

"What?"

"I...forgot, and I said his name. You-Know-Who, y'know? We were taking a break from quidditch and the topic came up somehow, and, er, guess we found out the hard way there's still a taboo. It must've broken the wards."

"Oh, Harry. It's not your fault," Ginny croons as she runs her hands through his dark hair, with a glare at Hermione, daring her to disagree. "They must've been camped just outside the wards ever since the last battle a few months ago. They were just waiting for the right moment. It could've happened to anyone."

"She's right, Harry," Hermione adds and tries to smile reassuringly (although, with her headache it probably comes out more like a grimace) at the friend who's like a brother to her. None of them knew Voldemort's name was still taboo.

"Anyway, those pieces of shit set off a nice bombarda spell along with a few other spells, like they did at Christmas that one time. And, well, boom," George mutters as he places a reassuring hand on Fred's shoulder, needing to touch his twin and know that Fred is really here and okay.

Before Hermione can admonish him for his language, Fred continues, "There were so many spells, they reached your room, Hermione, and, well, we got hit by some fire or something, and then, the ceiling collapsed on us," he indicates his head and...hers, his hand shaking.

"Oh no!" She reaches with horror toward her head, but finds her hair mainly intact. She looks at Fred questionably.

He almost blushes. "I, uh, took most of the blow for you, love. Although, some flying pieces of collapsed ceiling still managed to hit your head and put you in a coma."

She remembers his heavy body sheltering her own and reddens slightly as well. "Thank you. Wait? A coma? How long have I been out?"

"Two days," states Ginny calmly, glancing worriedly at Fred, who's discretely trying to hold his head, because it's killing him as well.. "Fred woke up about a minute before you."

"Only two days? Last time it was longer. I'm getting used to being hit by walls by now," he jokes faintly, remembering the final battle of the war, but no one laughs.

"A-hem."

Everyone glares at the individual making the sound and Hermione's brow furrows when she spots Ron, sitting in a chair a few feet away, clearly feeling out of place. Parvarti is sitting next to him, holding his hand.

Parvarti whispers something to him and he nods before seeming to gather up some courage and walking slowly towards her.

"Hermione?"

The twins glare at him, but he ignores them. "I-I'm sorry. When I heard you might be...hurt, I felt awful," Ron whispers and watches in dismay as Hermione's eyes fill with tears.

"Oh, Ron. It's okay. Life's too short to keep fighting like this. You're my best friend." She holds out her arms to him and he gently hugs her, trying not to add to her pain.

"I know I've been a git, Mione-"

"That's an understatement, wouldn't you say, George?"

"A bit, Fred."

Ron straightens and looks at them, ashamed still. "I said I was sorry. I know I've been..."

"A prat?"

"A wanker?"

"A selfish idiot?"

"Yeah, I reckon I was all of that. And I really regret how I did things, Hermione. I really am sorry."

He looks at her, expecting her to blow up at him in anger, as she usually does, but she smiles softly instead, catching him off guard. "It's okay, Ron," she says, not able to find the strength within herself to chastise him for his awful behavior again. _Besides, it's about time I admit to myself that it's not so bad being engaged to Fred, after all, _she thinks, with a blush.

Ron walks back to Parvarti, even as the Fred mutters quietly, "Have we got any of those pimple-inducing creams left, George?"

George grins evilly. "Why, I think we do, dear brother mine."

Luckily for them, Hermione doesn't hear because, at that moment Mrs. Weasley walks into the room.

"Oh, Hermione! I'm so glad you're okay, dear! How are you feeling? Do you need more pain potion, honey? Have you had some water? Do you need something to eat?"

"I'm okay, Mrs. Weasley. Thanks, though," Hermione's words are muffled because Mrs. Weasley catches her in a big hug.

The motherly woman pulls back and looks up to find the twins muttering quietly as they conspire about how to prank Ron. "FRED WEASLEY!"

"Why, Mum, so glad to see you noticed I'm still alive."

"You know I checked on you earlier, young man! Now get back in that bed, right now!"

Fred looks at her sheepishly and complies, secretly relieved to be lying down again. He gets back into the hospital bed next to Hermione. George, Harry, Ron, Ginny, and even Hermione snicker at hearing Fred referred to as 'young man'.

"Gee, Fred, didn't realize that you were so young," whispers George.

Fred reaches over and hits his twin's shoulder and George rubs it, complaining, "Why does everyone always hit me?"

Fred snorts. "Because you have a smart mouth, you tosser."

George just growls and hits his twin back harder.

"GEORGE WEASLEY! Don't you dare hit your poor brother right now when he's already in so much pain!" Mrs. Weasley stands with her hands on her hips.

"Sorry, Mum."

At that moment, as if alerted by the word 'pain', a mediwitch bustles over and ushers everyone from the room, except George who stubbornly refuses to leave his twin's side. She administers some potions.

"Fred?" Hermione asks.

"Hm?"

"Did the Order get them? The deatheaters?"

His looks darkens. "Yes, thank god."

"Who?"

"New ones. Stupid wizards who think You-Know-Poo isn't really dead and are insistent on bringing him back. Plus, a few oldies, like Dolohov," utters George, a look of fury on his face as his fingers twitch, as if itching to hex them.

She shudders, remembering past experiences with the evil man. "Oh."

Fred leans over and takes her hand in his and George pats her shoulder comfortingly. "Don't worry, Mione. They're in Azkaban and the Burrow's re-warded. Mum and Dad and the Order have been working on restoring it, since some of the rooms were burned. It'll be perfectly safe once everything's re-built."

"Although, if you wanted to get married earlier for additional protection, can't say I'd really mind," Fred winks at her; the head-ache reducing potion coming into effect has him feeling more like himself.

Hermione swats Fred's hand in pretend horror as George groans, "Honestly, you two. Please try to refrain from snogging. I'm still here, if you haven't noticed."

Fred holds back a laugh and Hermione giggles. "Sorry."

"Sure you are, Fred. Although, Hermione, I'd understand if you wanted to snog me instead, seeing as I still have all my hair," George jokes.

"OI!" Fred hits his twin and George hits back. Hermione laughs, glad that everything's okay, then Fred's comment about restoring the Burrow and setting up the wards again hits her. It takes time to do things like that.

"Wow." _I can't believe I was out for two whole_ _days_, she thinks._ "_Wow," she murmurs again.

"That's what they all say around me," George gives her a flirtatious look.

"Hey! That's my fiance you're talking to!" Fred mock glares at his twin and they all laugh.

The laughter helps Hermione relax, as the does the pain potion administered by the medi-witch. The fear finally eases and she falls into a painless sleep. She experiences no nightmares because Fred's hand still firmly holds her own in the chasm between their two beds.

* * *

A few days later, Fred and Hermione are released from St. Mungo's and floo to 12 Grimmauld place, because Harry has graciously offered to allow the Weasley's to stay at his home until the Burrow could be properly re-built and cleaned.

With a woosh, the fireplace in Grimmwold lights up with green fire and Hermione and Fred stumble out, escorted by Mrs. Weasley.

She smiles at them both, a little teary-eyed to find them both okay once again. "Well, I imagine that you're both quite hungry! I'll just go whip up a quick something. That hospital food, tsk tsk."

They share a glance and smile at her words before brushing the soot off their robes.

"Hermione!" Harry and Ginny run into the room, grabbing her in tight hugs. Ron follows more slowly and uncertainly, but the smile and hug she so kindly offer cause him to smile a little more brightly at everyone in the room.

As they walk through the hallway (quietly, to avoid Mrs. Black's portrait) to the kitchen, Hermione sneezes due to all the dust. "Harry, when was the last time you cleaned this place?"

"Er, a while, I reckon. It's not like I've really been living here, anyway, Hermione." He shrugs and she remembers that, of course, he'd been living at the Burrow the entire summer, rather than live alone in this dark, musty old house with its haunting memories of Sirius.

They walk into the kitchen and find Mrs. Weasley setting food on the table, with Kreacher hovering, looking annoyed that someone has usurped his place in the kitchen. Fred and Hermione allow her to fuss over them and then dig into the meal.

Hermione looks around her at her friends as they all joke and laugh about something or another. She smiles, giving a contented sigh, and sneaks a glance at her fiance, surprised to find him looking back at her. She blushes slightly at his knowing look when her eyes dart to his lips (it has been a while since their first kiss, after all) and his eyes hold an expression of tenderness she's never seen before.

_Yes, _she thinks, _there's nowhere else I would rather be right now._


	8. Chapter 8

"MUM, I CAN'T FIND MY MITTENS!" Ginny shouts from the room she shares with Hermione in Grimmauld place as she continues to pack for Hogwarts. The train leaves later that morning, and she's been dreading it all week.

Mrs. Weasley quickly hurries up the stairs and stops in her tracks at the sight of the disheveled room. Hermione is nowhere to be found; the mess was driving her crazy earlier and she conveniently disappeared so as not to have to put up with Ginny's terrible mood.

"Ginny Weasley! I told you to pack last night! Did you leave all this until now?"

"Um...well, not all of it," Ginny mutters and avoids her mother's eyes. Mrs. Weasley rolls her own eyes in response and begins to help Ginny finish packing.

A floor below, Hermione and Harry wince at the sound of Mrs. Weasley's irate (and loud) voice berating her daughter for not packing until the last minute. They're sitting in the kitchen, eating breakfast with Mr. Weasley and Percy.

Percy sighs and looks up from the _Daily Prophet_. "What a disgrace! The Ministry has simply got to do something about all these house elves suddenly thinking they have rights after the war!"

Hermione glares at him and Harry pretends to be extremely interested in his eggs as he tries not laugh at her murderous expression.

"Well, I'm off. I've got to go into work today and finish up a report. Tell Ginny I said have a fun year, would you?" Percy stands up to leave and the twins look at him questionably.

"Perce, you do know that it's a Saturday, right? They can't make you work today."

"Some of us have very important jobs, Fred, and can't come and go when they please," He states importantly and apparates from the room with a loud crack.

"Git," mutters Fred darkly as he spears his sausage with a little more vengeance than usual.

"Now, boys. Percy's really trying to be a part of this family again, for your Mother's sake, and I want you to be nice to him," Mr. Weasley states from behind the paper.

"Of course, Dad."

"Absolutely."

Fred leans closer to whisper to George when Mr. Weasley is occupied with pouring some more coffee. "Bubotuber pus in his bedsheets?"

"Excellent."

Hermione doesn't have a chance to chastise them because, at that moment, an owl knocks its beak against the closed window. Harry lets it into the room, sits back down, and it lands in front of her. She opens the envelope and jumps up from her chair as she screams loudly. She screams so loudly, in fact, that the owl gives a cry and flies back out the window.

"What is it?"

"What's wrong?"

"What did you two do _now_?"

"Who do I have to kill?"

Hermione has a difficult time distinguishing all the voices, as all the Weasley's (even Mrs. Weasley, Ginny, and a sleepy Ron) have run into the kitchen, but she's pretty sure that last one was either Fred or Harry.

She sits back down and gives them all an excited look. "I got the job!"

Everyone breathes a sigh of relief. "What job, dear?"

"The ministry job, Mrs. Weasley! I owled the Department of Magical Co-operation and told them I'd like to work with them and they informed me I'm starting on Monday!"

"But I thought you already were accepted, Hermione?" Harry looks confused.

"Well, they offered me a job before, but now it's official, isn't it?"

The men all look at her, baffled, but Ginny and Mrs. Weasley beam at her, understanding completely. "That's wonderful, Hermione." Ginny gives her a hug and the others follow suit, Fred holding onto her slightly longer than appropriate.

"I thought we just did this a while ago," murmurs Ron, remembering the scene from a few weeks ago in which Hermione had received several owls from MOM departments offering her jobs.

"Yes, but now it's official, Ron!" Ginny provides him with this statement as if it explains everything and walks out of the kitchen, Mrs. Weasley following her to help her finish packing.

"Fred. George. We need you to carry her trunk downstairs. Hurry now, we don't want her to miss the train!" Mrs. Weasley adds as she leaves the room.

The twins follow their Mum and grin back at Ron. "Y'know, Ron, it's okay if you don't understand women."

"We don't either."

"Nutters, mate. They're absolutely nutters."

Hermione manages to send a napkin flying at one of them as they leave the room, laughing.

A few minutes later, Ginny rushes downstairs, with Fred and George carrying her trunk.

"Geez, Gin...what'd you put in there? Rocks?"

"Half our store?"

"Harry?"

"Nice one," Fred gives his brother a high five as Harry walks into the living room from the kitchen, Hermione trailing him. "What?"

George claps Harry on the shoulder. "Nothing, Harry." Harry eyes both of them warily, wondering what they're up to but shrugs when they smile back innocently.

"WILL you lot hurry up? We're going to be late! Get in the ministry vehicle this instant!"

They hastily grab their stuff and scramble to follow Mrs. Weasley's directions, not wanting to tick her off any more. As it is, Mrs. Weasley is nervous about them all riding to a very public place. After the war, and the attack on the Burrow, things have been kind of intense. Some deatheaters are refusing to believe the Voldemort is dead, and, as a result, many are still attacking Order members.

Hermione somehow ends up sitting next to Fred inside the car and he smiles at her, before leaning down to whisper, "Meet me tonight at midnight in Sirius's old room."

She blushes and Ginny sees. "Ugh! This is so unfair! You two get to spend all the time in the world together but Harry and I have to be separated until Hogsmeade or longer! Mum, why can't I-"

"We are not discussing this again, Ginevra! You are going to finish your schooling and that's final!"

Ginny glowers and crosses her hands over her chest in a show of rebellion.

"It's okay, Gin. We'll provide you with plenty of daydream charms if y'want. Just don't tell us what you're doing with them," whispers George. "OI! What was that for!"

Ron glares at his older brother, having just hit him. "You are not giving our little sister daydream charms so she can do...stuff and think about Harry. That's just plain wrong!"

Harry and Ginny both turn quite red. "What I do on my own time is none of your business, Ron! Speaking of which, why do you have so many pimples on your face? Parvarti's not going to marry you if she sees _that._"

The twins grin maliciously behind his back and Ron glares at them. They put their pimple-inducing cream in his shaving cream earlier this week to get back at him for being a git to Hermione. He hasn't figured out how they've done it yet, but he knows it's them.

"What does my face have to do with anything? And I'll have you know she and I are getting married this January! Besides, you're...innocent and they're corrupting you!"

Hermione, the twins, and Harry all snort at the concept of Ginny being 'innocent.' Hermione decides to have pity on Harry and Ginny, who are both so red by now that they look like they have a bad case of sunburn.

She turns to Harry. "So, Harry, when does Ron and your auror training start?"

He gives her a relieved look and latches onto the change in conversation topics with a little too much enthusiasm to fool anyone. "End of this month, actually. So your job is starting on Monday?"

"Yes. I can't wait!"

"Wow, two days from now and you'll be a working woman, Mione," Fred exclaims.

"Working women are bloody hot," George adds.

"George Weasley!"

"Sorry, Mum. Just telling it as it is."

"It's okay, Hermione. I'll protect you from him," Fred slings an arm around her shoulder and his twin smiles back suggestively.

Luckily, Hermione doesn't have to respond because they've arrived at King's Cross. Before they know it, they're waving to Ginny as the Hogwarts express speeds away.

"Erm, Mrs. Weasley? Can we please go? Everyone's staring at me," whispers Harry as he glances around at the curious (some friendly, some hostile) faces. The auror assigned to protect them from the crazy deatheaters, who refuse to give up hope, moves a little closer to him. Harry gives him an annoyed glance.

"Of course, dear. Let's get going then." They trudge through the crowds slowly and the ministry officials take them back to the Grimmauld place.

As soon as they're inside, Harry becomes decidedly moody because Ginny is gone and his auror insisted on holding his arm as they walked entire way out of the station. "I still don't trust them."

"Who?"

"The ministry, Ronald." Hermione is clearly exasperated at Ron's thickness, and Ron moves cautiously away from her. Things aren't quite the same as they used to be and it's taking Hermione a little longer than she thought to be his friend again; sure, she said she forgave him and she did, but that doesn't mean that everything's going to be back normal right away.

* * *

Later that night, Hermione finds herself wandering the creepy halls of Harry's house, wishing she had told Fred they could meet in daylight, like normal people.

"Fred?" Hermione whispers, hoping no one else in 12 Grimmauld place will hear her. She quietly opens the door to Sirius's old room and winces at the creaking sound it makes.

"Fred?" She ventures closer in the room and lights her wand.

"Fred? Are you in –Ah!" She screams when a hand covers her mouth and pulls her fully into the room and door slams shut, covering them in darkness.

Trying to get away from her attacker, Hermione re-lights her wand and is about to fling a hex at him when she hears his voice.

"Hi Hermione!"

"Fred Weasley," she hisses. "How _dare_ you do that to me after what we've been through last week! I cannot believe you!"

He casts a _lummox maxima _spell and she sees his sheepish face in full light for the first time. "I'm sorry, Hermione. I wasn't thinking."

"Well, that's obvious," she snorts and sits on the bed, her action causing a puff of dust to rise from it. It coats her hair and clothes but it doesn't distract Fred from noticing she's trembling.

"Look, Mione, I'm really sorry-"

"Just don't do it again or I will hex you so bad you won't move for hours!"

"Whoa, okay. I understand. I'm sorry. Won't happen again." He pauses and stands in front of her with a contemplative look on his face. "Y'know, you're sexy when you're angry like this."

"Honestly! That's it! I'm going back to bed! I didn't come here for you to scare me and then make a cheap pass at me like I'm some-"

Once again, he finds that he's interrupting her with a kiss. She stiffens and attempts to move out of his arms, but he keeps them firmly around her, his mouth moving steadily over her own, coaxing out a response.

Finally, she gives into his embrace and sags against him, no longer struggling as she starts to kiss him back. His tongue slips into her mouth explores, causing Hermione to moan.

"F-Fred..." They pull back for air and Fred uses the opportunity to attack her neck, sending soft little kisses along her jaw line and the hollow of her throat. She tilts her head to give him more access and moans again.

He pulls back eventually and looks at her flushed face and dilated eyes. "Sorry, love. I got a little carried away there."

"What exactly did you want?" She tries to summon some of the irritation with him that she possessed just moment ago, but fails as he smiles tenderly at her.

"I just wanted to kiss you again, maybe hang out for a bit..."

"At midnight?"

"Er, yeah? Why does that bother you? It's not like you were doing anything else."

She steps back from him at his arrogant statement and wraps her robe tighter around herself. "Did it not occur to you that I'm still extremely tired from that attack last week? Or that your sister kept me up for hours last night complaining about going back to Hogwarts?" Her anger at him has returned slightly. She's not some slave that's going to come at his beck and call! _As if I wasn't doing anything else. Well, really!_ She thinks, annoyed.

"Look, Mione. I don't know what's got your knickers in a twist, but I just wanted to see you, okay?"

"Fine. You've seen me. Now can I go to bed? I do have to work on Monday, you know!"

He crosses his arms and, for the first time in her life, Fred Weasley is staring at her with a cold look on his face. "Yeah. Sorry to bother you, your highness."

He stalks from the room and she groans, massaging her head and trying to get rid of the persistent headache there. What in the world has she done?

_Thanks for the terrific reviews! I'm pretty sure I read that daydream bit with Ginny and the twins in another story but I can't remember where...maybe I'm wrong? Either way, if it is, I don't own it and I'm sorry, haha. Please review! :)_


	9. Chapter 9

_A shorter chapter because I'm at a bit of a standstill with this story since there's two ways I'd like the plot to go and I don't know which to choose! If you'd like a say, go to my profile page and vote on the **poll** (it's a short question). Thanks!_

* * *

She tries to fall asleep that night but fails miserably. It's two a.m. now and she's still tossing and turning due to her fight with Fred. With a frustrated sigh, Hermione sits up in bed and slides her feet into her slippers. She has to apologize to Fred; otherwise, she won't get any sleep tonight.

Hermione opens the bedroom door and sneaks quietly down the hallway toward Fred and George's room, hesitating a moment before giving a light knock. When no one answers, she knocks harder and more insistently.

She hears a light being turned on and a scuffling before George answers the door. He leans against the door frame, rubbing his bleary eyes. "Blimey, woman. You do know it's two a.m.?"

"Um, yes?"

"Right. Well, Fred doesn't really want to talk right now." He gives her a less-than-friendly look and her tentative smile wavers even more.

"Please, George. I want to apologize," she whispers.

He studies her for a moment and then nods curtly. "Alright. C'mon in. But don't blame me if he plays a joke on you."

She ventures into the room and glances towards Fred's bed, only to find him sitting up and staring at George and her.

"Fred? Can I talk to you for a moment, please?"

"Sure." He doesn't give a snappy or sarcastic comment like Ron would've, and it catches her off guard that he's being so mature about the situation.

They step into the hall and close the door, and Fred crosses his arms, waiting for her to speak.

"I'm sorry, Fred. That was a stupid fight. It wasn't really about you at all..."

"What was it about?"

"My Mum and Dad. After we got back from St. Mungo's last week, I finally managed to get the letter to them about my job and marriage. I only just got a reply after dinner. The owl came to my room with their letter. They were ecstatic about the job..."

"And the marriage?" He has a knowing look in his eyes.

"Not so much," she whispers. "They want me to have a serious talk with them because they don't want their only daughter to be forced to marry. I almost got the impression that they'd rather I leave the wizarding world for a time and come back once the law is no longer in effect."

"So, are you going to meet with them?"

"Yes. I sent back an owl but I don't know when yet. I'm really sorry, Fred. It's just that I was already stressed and then you scared me and I just kind of took it out on you. It was stupid."

He uncrosses his arms and his eyes pierce hers for a second, but she refuses to look up. "Look, Hermione. We need to be honest with each other about these things. You can tell me if you're upset about something or just want to be alone to think for a while. I get that way too, but I refuse to marry a witch who's going to lie to me."

"Y-you're right."

"If we want this marriage to work, we need to be more open with each other, okay?" She doesn't look up, continuing to stare at her feet and the ugly, black carpet. "Look at me, love. It'll be okay."

She looks up and finds his eyes carry a tender expression that almost makes her gasp. She's starting to realize this serious and loving side of Fred Weasley is a rather large part of his personality. He's not just the jokester she thought he was to begin with.

"Fred?"

"Mm?"

"If we're going to be completely honest with each other from now on, I should tell you something."

"Hm?"

"I'm starting to really care about you," Hermione blushes.

A grin lights his face, because even though it's way too soon to admit they are in love or anything for both of them, he feels the same way.

"Me too." He leans forward and gently brushes his lips across her own. "Night, love."

"Goodnight."

She turns around to walk back to her room and Fred opens the door to his when she hears a loud THUNK.

"Fred? Are you okay?"

She hears more noises and walks swiftly toward the twins' room, thinking maybe he tripped on something in the dark after George turned the light back off. She arrives at the door and has to laugh at the scene in front of her:

Fred and George are wrestling on the ground. Fred has George's arm pinned beneath him and George is pulling on Fred's hair. "I wasn't listening! I wasn't!"

"You had your ear to the bloody door!"

"Did not!"

"Did too!"

"If you tell anyone I'm that sensitive, I'll-"

"Ooh! Blackmail!"

"Not if I can help it!"

With an amused smirk, Hermione clears her throat. Both men stop moving and look up at her from their positions on the floor.

"Why, hello there Hermione," George grins at her unashamedly from his squished position under Fred and she rolls her eyes.

"George, Fred. Let each other go." They swiftly comply and George runs back over to his bed, landing on it with a bounce.

"Goodnight boys."

"Goodnight, Mione," they reply simultaneously, making her smile again as she leaves the room.

She's just closed the door when she hears George say, "Freddie?"

"What?"

"Y'know I was kidding, right? I'd hex anyone who made fun of you and Hermione."

"Yeah, I know." A pause. "George?"

"Hm?"

"Thanks."

"Yeah."

_Boys_, Hermione shrugs at their way of expressing their emotions, but at the same time, she feels envious of their close relationship. Those two would easily lay down the life for the other, even though they do tend to tease each other a lot.

She tiptoes back to her room and falls asleep almost right away, feeling much better than she did before.

* * *

"FRED! GEORGE! YOU...YOU BUFFOONS!"

That rainy Monday morning, everyone at the kitchen table stops eating breakfast and cringes as Percy walks into the room. Even Hermione, extremely nervous about her first day on the job at the Ministry, feels bad for Percy.

He's covered in painful looking boils.

Fred and George, however, had already floo'ed to their shop. They're almost finished re-modeling and hoping to move back in soon, to Mrs. Weasley's dismay.

"Oh, Percy! What happened?" She rushes over to him and he explains.

"They put Bubotuber pus in my bedsheets."

Ron and Harry hide snorts as Percy tries to sit down and jumps back up abruptly, as if he sat on a tack. Clearly, they put it in his knickers too. His face turns red and he stands awkwardly waiting for Mrs. Weasley to get the necessary ingredients to fix the problem.

"Here we are, dear. Some salve, burn cream, and wrappings should do it." He sits down and Mrs. Weasley helps him, while the others finish their breakfasts.

"I-I better go." Hermione hastily stands up, realizing the time and wanting to be early for her first day.

"Already? S'only-Ow!" Ron gives Harry, who just elbowed him not-so-subtly in the ribs, a glower.

"I know it's early, Ronald! But I don't want to be late on the first day. You only have once to make a positive first impression," she states in her prefect voice and no one argues with her.

Adjusting her black suit jacket with the purple, frilly top underneath and pencil skirt, Hermione grabs her things.

The entire time she is gathering up her bag and wand, everyone is watching her as she mutters to herself answers to questions they'll be likely to ask her: "Yes, I believe magical co-operation is essential because it brings together the wizarding world in unique and exciting ways... No, I chose this department because of its quality work...Or was it because it's fascinating?"

She walks out the door and it slams behind her. Ron looks at Harry and shakes his head. "S'like O.W.L.S. all over again."

Harry shrugs, "It's important to her, mate."

"Yeah, well, this auror job is important to me, but it's just a job, isn't it?"

Harry is thankful that he doesn't have to answer because he just spooned a large chunk of cereal into his mouth.

Mrs. Weasley finishes fixing up Percy and turns to the boys. "Now, Ron. Harry. What are you two doing today? We could really use the help fixing up the Burrow. It's almost finished."

"Er, sorry, Mum, but we're, ah-"

"Working on..."

"Auror training!" Ron finishes, relieved he thought of something. "Need to practice."

"Right."

"Okay, then. Well, I'll just have to get some Order members to help." She sighs and begins to put away the breakfast dishes, leaving the slightly-guilty boys to leave the table in peace.

* * *

Hermione arrives at the Ministry exactly fifteen minutes before she's required to be there. She manages to find the way to the _Department of Magical Co-operation_ without too much difficulty, although people are staring at her a lot.

Walking as confidently as she can up to the front desk of the department, she clears her throat. "Hermione Granger, here to see Mr. Carob Curthy," she states.

The brunette in front of her, whom Hermione estimates to be in her mid thirties, gives her a warm smiles and then glances at her again. "Hermione Granger! Wow! It's so nice to finally meet you! We are all just absolutely thrilled that you're going to be working here! I'm Mary, Mr. Curthy's secretary."

This is all said so quickly that Hermione barely catches half of it, but she smiles brightly back and the other woman is none the wiser. Mary leads her to Mr. Curthy's office and shakes her hand enthusiastically again. "So nice to meet you!"

Hermione nods, a bit embarrassed and worried that everyone's going to treat her like royalty just because she's Harry Potter's best friend. That's not what she wants; she wants to work for her position like everyone else, not be coddled.

She knocks and a grumpy, male voice growls, "Come in."

With a deep, calming breath, she opens the door and steps inside, hoping he won't see her shaking knees.

_FYI, the current head of the Department of Magical Co-operation is unknown, but it was Barty Crouch Sr. before. I just made an anagram of his name for the new head of the department. Please review and vote! :)_


	10. Chapter 10

_A/N: I made a mistake in the last chapter, so just to clarify the Weasley's, Hermione, and Harry are still at 12 Grimmuald place while the Burrow is being re-built. They've been there for about a week-and-a-half and are moving back at the end of this week. _

_Thanks for the reviews and voting (all 7 of you, haha)._

By the end of the day, Hermione arrives back at 12 Grimmauld completely exhausted. Her boss is nice enough but there's so much about the department to learn! She's extremely excited about her work but it's a bit overwhelming for her at the moment.

With a sigh of relief, she enters the living room to find the twins, Ron, and Harry all relaxing.

She sets down her purse and coat and smiles at the current conversation.

"We're not saying there's anything wrong with it, mate. Right, George?"

"Yeah, it's just an idea."

Ron and Harry wear similarly disgusted expressions on their faces. "You two are twisted, y'know that?" Ron states as he shakes his head.

"What are we talking about?" Hermione sits down next to Harry on the couch and he almost throws himself at her in relief.

"HERMIONE!"

"Um, yes? Are you okay, Harry?"

"Fine. Just fine. Bloody great, actually."

She raises an eyebrow and looks at the snickering twins, wondering what on Earth they've been talking about.

George answers her question when he pipes up. "We were just telling Harry and Ron that we're open-minded blokes. So, if they can't find a date to the auror graduation party, as they're starting training soon and Ginny will be at school and Parvarti might be working, they can always go together."

"As a couple," Fred chortles.

Ron and Harry both turn quite a distinct shade of red. "Ignore them, Mione. They're crazy."

"Aw, Ron. There's no point in denying the strong feelings you're hiding for Harry. S'okay. We still love you."

"Yeah. I bet you two can even get even re-petition to be each other's new partners. Course we'd kill you for hurting Ginny like that, Harry-"

"Y'mean that _Ginny_ will kill Harry, brother. We'll just enjoy the show."

"Ah, right."

Hermione shakes her head in bewilderment; sometimes she wonders how the twins' minds work.

Fred turns toward her then from his position next to George on the couch. "So, how was the first day, love?"

"It was great! It's a little overwhelming but I enjoyed it. You wouldn't believe the connections the ministry has. There are over 200 countries that the department is in regular contact with and it's absolutely fascinating..."

She keeps explaining her job but stops when Ron gives a loud yawn and she sees Harry's glazed over expression. In fact, Fred is the only one still paying attention to her because George is concentrated on trying to poke Ron with his wand without Ron realizing it.

"It was great," she finishes lamely, wishing her friends shared her enthusiasm for these things.

To her surprise, Fred gets up and pulls her in a hug. "I'm glad, Hermione. It sounds wonderful." He gives her a noisy kiss on the cheek.

"Thanks."

"A-hem." They both look up to find Ron glaring at them.

"Oh, honestly, Ron! Don't give me that! You're the one who wanted to break up!" Sometimes she wonders if things will ever be less tense between them. Lately, their relationship has been okay, but tense moments like these still seem to crop up.

He's prevented from retorting because Mrs. Weasley calls them to dinner.

At dinner that night, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley announce that the Burrow is almost completely restored and they should be able to move back in on Saturday. Everyone gives a collective sigh of relief because nearly two weeks in this house has been driving them insane. In fact, the portrait of Mrs. Black has found many a hex aimed at it recently.

* * *

Hermione spends Tuesday and Wednesday becoming acquainted with her new job. So far, she loves it. In fact, she's so absorbed with her job, that it's not until Thursday that she realizes someone has been following her.

She usually walks to the Ministry worker entrance (still, unfortunately, located in those disgusting bathrooms) from Grimmauld place. The MOM is too far to apparate directly to, so she really doesn't have a choice. With the recent sunny, September weather, though, she doesn't mind walking.

When Hermione comes home from work, she walks to a location close enough to apparate onto the front stoop of Harry's house, so as not to give away the house's location accidentally. They had to assign a new secret keeper after they gave away the house's location to a death eater during the war. Luckily, he died but they still don't know if he told anyone. So far, no one's been able to break the new wards or attempted to get in.

On that sunny Thursday, she's walking back from work, when she stops to tie her shoe. She's in a quiet part of town, so she's surprised when she realizes the footsteps behind her stop. Her brow furrows, but she shrugs it off, sure she's imagining things. The same thing happened yesterday, but surely not...

Just to check, Hermione pauses casually near a street corner as she pretends to tie her other shoe. The footsteps stop again. On the pretense of fixing her makeup, she pulls out a small compact mirror and uses it to glance behind her. A figure stands in the shadow of a nearby house. The hair on her neck stands up and she knows:

She's being followed.

She quietly withdraws her wand from her bag when she puts the mirror back inside. Then, quick as a wink, she turns on the spot and apparates to Grimmauld place.

Luckily for her, she was close enough to apparate. She doesn't know how she would have shaken him off otherwise.

She bursts into the house, slams the door shut, and leans against it, taking a shaky breath.

"Hermione? Are you okay?" She glances up to find Mr. Weasley standing there, hanging up his hat. He must have just arrived home from work as well. They normally have such different hours that they don't walk together. In fact, she's surprised he's home so early.

"I-I...I was being followed."

His face darkens. "Are you absolutely sure?"

"Yes."

"FAMILY MEETING!" His bellowing voice makes her jump slightly and she follows him into the comfy parlor, where everyone usually spends evenings together.

Footsteps thunder down the stairs above them as the others soon arrive.

"What is it, dear? Is everything okay?"

"What's wrong?"

"What'd you do now, Ron?"

"ME? What about you two?"

"It wasn't us-"

"Yeah, we're too mature for silly pranks."

"Arthur! What's wrong?"

"Molly, it's-"

"Mature? You turned Harry's hair purple yesterday! Took him two hours to get it back to normal!"

"Well, if those two had listened in Transfiguration, Percy, then-"

"ENOUGH!" Everyone stops talking at once and looks at Mr. Weasley. "Enough. Everyone sit down please."

It's then that everyone notices a white-faced Hermione.

"What's wrong, Hermione?"

"You okay, love?"

"Do I need to hex someone?"

"Do we all need to hex someone?"

"Or Ron. We're not fussy, really." The last one was Fred, of course.

"Boys!" The twins stop talking and sheepishly nod at their dad before sitting down on either side of her on the couch. Fred puts his arm on her shoulder to comfort her.

"Hermione just arrived home from the ministry and informed me that she was followed." At the announcement, Hermione feels Fred's arm protectively pulling her closer.

Another series of exclamations follows this, but a stern look from Mrs. Weasley shuts everyone up again.

"I didn't see his face, but I was definitely being followed. I had the feeling that I was yesterday too, but I thought I was imagining things. Now I know for sure."

"Oh, Arthur. What are we going to do?"

"Well, for start, I'll walk with Hermione to and from work. Hermione, when walking, you must keep your wand out. In the meantime, I'll see about connecting our fireplace to the Ministry's floo network. I also think that whenever someone goes out, they should have at least one other person with them, if they're not apparating or flooing directly to the location. Is that clear?"

"I can see about the floo, Dad," Percy states importantly.

Everyone ignores Percy and murmurs his or her assent, while Hermione attempts to push back a feeling of guilt for inconveniencing everyone.

* * *

After dinner, she retreats to her room to relax and maybe read-up more on her departmental regulations. As a result, she's so absorbed in her work that she doesn't hear Fred come into the room.

"Hermione?"

"Oh! Hi Fred." She reluctantly closes her book and sets it aside, crossing her legs Indian-style on her bed and facing him.

He sits down next to her and sighs heavily. "Hermione?"

"Yes? What's wrong?"

_Just say it, you twat. It's not that bloody difficult_, he thinks. "Er...well..."

"Just spit it out," she squeezes his hand.

"Um... Just be careful, okay?" _Coward,_ he berates himself.

"Okay..."

_You're a Gryffindor_, he reminds himself firmly before bursting out. "Idon'tknowwhatI'd-"

"What?"

"Oh, sorry. It's just that I don't know what I'd do if you...well, if something happened to you." _Well that was smooth._ Fred Weasley winces slightly; he's never been good at expressing his true emotions with birds he really cares about. Joking is easy, this isn't.

She blushes slightly and leans forward to gently kiss him on the lips. "That is the sweetest thing you have ever said to me, Fred Weasley."

"Even beats the time where I told you your hair looked like a bird's nest in fifth year?"

"Oh, shut up." She laughs slightly but smiles when he whispers, "Was just kidding, anyway, love. Your hair is beautiful."

"Thank you."

"Well, now that I've buttered you up. Want to go on a date again sometime soon?"

With a laugh, she assents.

"Good. By the way, I also wanted to show you something. It's a new product for our joke shop."

"What is it?"

He stands up and pulls something from his pockets with a flourish, keeping the object hidden by his hands.

Slowly, he opens up his hands and she raises an eyebrow. "Like it?"

"What is it exactly?"

"Now, Hermione, I'm hurt. You still don't know? It's called 'Heavenly Head'. Makes your head swell to three times its size."

She feels her face turning red at the name and wonders if he realizes... "Um, Fred. You do realize that people could, um, mistake that name for something, uh, else?"

"Huh?" He looks bewildered and then an evil grin dawns on his face, even as his ears redden slightly. "Why, Hermione. Never knew you were so naughty."

"I am not!"

"Sure, Sure. Guess we'll have to use George's name them. He calls them 'Swelling Candies'. You just pop the candy in your mouth and viola! Bloody brilliant, right?"

She smiles. "It is. But don't you _dare_ try it out on me."

"I wouldn't do that, love." He winks and she just shakes her head.

"Goodnight, Fred."

"Goodnight, Hermione." He catches her off-guard as he leans forward and gently captures her lips in his own. With a moan that surprises them both, Hermione wraps her arms around his neck and leans into him, enthusiastically kissing them back. It has been way too long since they've done this.

"Fred?" They're not sure how long it's been; maybe seconds, maybe longer, but the sound of George's voice breaks them out of their own world and they pull back from each other, hastily straightening their clothes.

His face peers into the room and he assesses the situation with a glance. "Been busy in here?"

"Cute, George. Real cute."

"Comes naturally to me, dear twin, not that you'd know what it's like."

Fred rolls his eyes and drops a kiss on her forehead before leaving the room. Hermione flops down on the bed with a sigh, glad for once that Ginny isn't here to tease her about her suddenly flushed face.

* * *

That Friday, Mr. Weasley walks with her to the Ministry of Magic, and he too notices their stalker.

"Definitely being followed, Hermione. Just stay calm."

"I am calm, Mr. Weasley," she states, looking at him apprehensively as he grips his wand so tightly that his knuckles turn white.

"Right, right."

They arrive at the Ministry workers' entrance without a problem, however, and he arranges to meet her there at exactly five o'clock.

After work, she waits for him patiently, looking at her watch ever-so-often. When it's fifteen after and he still hasn't arrived, she huffs impatiently and decides to walk home herself. She'll be fine. Her creepy friend hasn't done anything yet so he probably won't now.

He's still there, she notes, as she begins to walk and realizes she's being followed. She holds her wand in her hand and prays that he'll leave her alone.

Surely, he won't try anything in broad daylight.

With a sigh of relief, she realizes she's almost to the spot where she can apparate home, when a hand suddenly grabs her right wrist.

"What the-?"

She's twisted around to see...nothing. The stranger is wearing a mask.

"What are you-?" She doesn't have a chance to fight as her wand is wrenched from her and the stranger turns on the spot, refusing to let her go.

After apparating, the stranger pulls a rope out of his pocket and ties her arms behind her back, before pushing her roughly against the wall, his hand on her shoulder as he points his wand in her face.

"Who do you think you are? What are you doing?"

He doesn't respond and she takes that moment to realize she's in a dark alleyway somewhere, hopefully still in London.

She realizes that he's using his other hand to take off his mask.

Then, she chokes back a shout as she stares at his revealed face.

This cannot be happening.


	11. Chapter 11

_A/N: Thanks for the reviews and votes! Enjoy!  
_

* * *

"Hello, love," he whispers in a foreboding way that makes her shiver apprehensively.

_What is he going to do to me?_ She wonders as his clawed left hand digs into her shoulder.

"What do you want with me?" She tries to sound brave, but she knows he hears the slight quaver in her voice because he chuckles darkly.

_If only I could get my wand._ She glances at his pocket, where she sees her wand sticking out. She doesn't dare make a rash move, though, with his wand in her face.

"What do I want with you? Hum...so many choices," he whispers as he firmly grabs her soft chin between his dirty fingers and forces her to look into his watery, blue eyes.

He pauses and then continues. "Do you know what you and your little friends have cost us, hm? Do you know how I've suffered after you and Harry Potter defeated the Dark Lord? Ah, scared you, have I?"

"W-why me? Why not Harry or Ron?"

She flinches and turns her head as his yellow, chipped fingernail grazes down her cheek. "Them? Those insolent boys were nothing without you. We had thought about going after them alone at first, you see, but the _Daily Prophet _put out such a nice little article after the war about _you_, dear girl, being the brains of the operation. So, we decided to go after you, because we know Harry will come looking for his precious little friend, and when he does... the Dark Lord will be so pleased to know that I killed Harry Potter and his mudblood helper..."

He trails off, his eyes becoming unfocused as he dreams of the rewards in store for him.

She uses his distraction to struggle against the ropes binding her hands together, but stops when he focuses on her again, his eyes blinking almost too often.

"He's not coming back," she says.

"What?"

"You-Know-Who. He's dead. Harry killed him for sure. You should know that!"

He growls and the sound of his palm slapping her face echoes down the dark alleyway. Her face stings and she blinks back tears, refusing to provide him the satisfaction of seeing her cry.

"LIAR! Those are lies...lies..." A manic gleam enters his eye and Hermione fleetingly wonders if he's mentally ill.

He looks off to the side for a moment, as a dump truck rumbles noisily past, and she subtly struggles against the rope binding her hands again.

She feels the ropes chafing into her wrists, but, with a grimace, manages to somehow slide one hand out. Now if only she can get to her wand...

He turns back to her and laughs gleefully as his left arm feels her wiggling back and forth. "It's no use, Ms. Granger. You won't be able to escape."

"I heard you say, 'we'. Where are the others?" She needs to distract him with conversation somehow.

"Others? They are...busy at the moment," he grins crazily and she shudders, wondering what the other death eaters are up to. Images of the last time she saw them, sending unforgiveable curses at innocent students during the final battle, flit through her mind like a sped-up movie.

She realizes he's still talking in his raspy voice, "They gave me this important task. They trust me, you see. Someone had to step up after Bellatrix died. You remember her, I'm sure?"

She represses the alarm that suddenly washes over her like a flood, but he notices her frightened expression and throws back his head, laughing hysterically again. She uses that moment to subtly inch her arm out from behind her, praying he won't notice.

"Would you like a repeat performance, poppet? Would you like to remember what it feels like to be tortured?"

"No. No, please," she whispers, shutting her eyes in absolute terror as flashbacks hover on the edge of her mind, threatening to consume her as they so often have in the past.

She feels his breath, hot and foul on her face, and cringes, waiting for his sandpaper voice to whisper those dreaded words: crucio. Instead, he continues to ramble narcissistically informing her of his plan.

"Now, all I have to do is keep you here for a while and tell Harry to come and get you. Oh, yes, he'll come. Just like he came to the Dark Lord. By then, the other death eaters will have arrived, and we'll murder you both, pet, just like that." He snaps his fingers to indicate how quick it will be.

"No!" She glances at his pocket, knowing that her movements will have to be quick and precise. Tension winds inside her like a spring because she knows she only has one shot at this...

"Oh, yes. We will. You can be sure of that. In fact-"

"I SAID NO!" Hermione's shouted phrase catches him off guard, as she had intended, and she stomps on his foot hard, using the opportunity of his confusion to reach forward and grab her wand from his pocket.

He howls in pain and reaches for it but she quickly moves a step from the wall and turns on the spot, disapparating.

She hears him scream in frustration and disbelief, his disgusting fingers barely grazing her arm as she disappears.

Stumbling, she lands shakily and notes with relief that she's in Diagon Alley, because it was the first location to pop into her head.

She quickly runs to the twins' shop and bangs loudly on the locked door, earning a few odd looks from passerby. Feet shuffle over the wooden floors as someone comes to unlock the door and she finds George staring at her with surprise.

"Hermione? What are you doing here so late?" She realizes suddenly that it must be after six o'clock and briefly wonders why the twins aren't over at Grimmauld place.

"C'mon, love. Come in," George grabs her arm and, when she continues to stand there in shock, yanks her inside. He winces as he sees an angry welt on her face from where she was slapped.

"Are you okay? What happened?"

She just shakes her head and bursts into sobs, the past hour overcoming her. George's eyes become comically wide (he isn't exactly keen on handling crying birds) and he scoops her into his arms, taking the stairs by two with his long legs and slamming open the door to the flat.

"FRED!"

"I already told you, George, I'm not helping you slip Mum Ton-tongue- What's wrong?" Fred appears from behind a mountain of boxes, his hair covered in dust. When he sees Hermione, his eyes fill with confusion, and then worry.

"Hermione? Oh my god, what happened to her, George?"

"Dunno. Didn't say," he places her gently on their dusty couch, treating her like a china doll, and Fred immediately sits next to her and pulls her onto his lap. She revels in his warm embrace, finally feeling safe. She cries into his polo shirt for a few minutes before she stiffens and gasps in his arms.

"Harry!" Her voice is hoarse from crying and she noisily clears her throat, grimacing as she thinks how repulsed Fred must be to feel her slobbering all over him.

"What?"

"We have to tell Harry! NOW! Tell him I'm safe!"

"Okay, okay. We'll tell Harry." George shoots off his patronous and they both turn to look at her, concerned.

She pushes Fred's arms away and moves to sit next to him. "I'm okay now. I was just scared and then I realized they might have gotten to Harry and told him they had me..."

"Hermione, love, you're not making much sense."

"And that's coming from us."

The corners of her mouth turn up slightly but she still looks at them quite seriously. "I...Your dad planned to walk me back home from the Ministry but it was late and I was tired of waiting so I left without him-"

"YOU WHAT?"

"Well..." she looks at them sheepishly to find they're both staring at her with angry expressions. "It was stupid, I know."

"You're damn right it was stupid."

"Just let me finish. I thought everything would be fine but then I noticed I was being followed. But I still thought it was okay because the person has never tried anything before... but then, out of nowhere, they grabbed me."

The twins gasp and Fred's grip on her hand tightens.

"Anyway, he took my wand and forced me to side-along apparate and I ended up in some alleyway. He tied my arms behind my back and pushed me against a wall and took off his mask. It was McNair, one of the death eaters...he slapped me and-"

Fred growls in a feral manner, absolutely furious, so she hurriedly finishes telling them the rest of the story as fast as she can.

"I'm going to murder that fucking bastard," Fred stands abruptly, clenching his fists. "I'm going to find him, torture him, and kill his pathetic arse guts."

"Fred..."

"I'll help." George stands up, looking equally upset.

"NO! Don't leave me, _please_." They look at her as if just remembering she's there and they share a silent conversation before nodding.

"I'll take you back to Harry's house, Mione."

"Say, how'd you know we'd be here, anyway?" George asks.

"Huh? Oh, well, I didn't. I just apparated to Diagon Alley and instinct led me to your shop. Why are you two here?"

"Well, since you lot are moving back to the Burrow tomorrow, we thought we'd move back to the flat above our shop tonight."

"No sense in moving twice. It's nearly ready anyway."

"And that way we can help tomorrow."

"Mainly Ron and Harry, because they haven't packed anything yet."

"You're going to _help_?" She disbelievingly asks and they shrug in response.

"Yeah. A little joke here. A little joke there."

"Shrunken objects."

"Disappearing shoes."

"All in the name of fun, of course." She rolls her eyes but can't help but giggle at their antics.

"C'mon, Mione. Let's get you home." Fred gathers her in his arms, smiling when she sneezes from the dust.

"Oh, sure. Leave me here to un-pack," George jokes, but he smiles understandingly at his twin.

Fred nods and then disapparates. They soon arrive at Grimmauld place and he walks in, refusing to set her down.

They walk into the kitchen to find Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, Harry, Ron, and even Percy all sitting there anxiously. Mrs. Weasley is wringing her hands and periodically glancing at the clock indicating everyone's location. It's set in the middle of the table, like a glorified trophy, and it's obvious that everyone had been staring at it, hoping that Fred and Hermione's locations would jump to "home."

They rise as a group when Fred walks in with her.

"Where have you been? We've been worried sick!" Mrs. Weasley bustles over and tsks at seeing Hermione's face. She makes Hermione sit down and applies some ointment to the welt. Fred only lets her go reluctantly.

He sits down next to her, holding her hand, his thumb brushing reassuringly over the back, and he briefly explains to the others what happened.

"You got the patronous?"

"Yeah, but it didn't make much sense, mate. All it said was that Hermione was safe and that Harry shouldn't go anywhere," Ron says.

"I can't believe they still think Vol-"

"Don't say his name, Harry! The taboo! Remember what happened last time?"

"Er, right. Sorry, Mr. Weasley. But, anyway, how could they think he'd come back?"

"I don't know, Harry. He actually looked a little insane to me," Hermione admits.

"Did he say who the other death eaters were?"

"No. Sorry."

"Are you sure, Hermione? Maybe he said something and you just forgot until now or...?" Harry shuts up when Fred sends a glare his way that clearly says, 'Leave my woman alone.'

Hermione snaps back, "I already told you all I know, Harry!"

They talk for an hour, discussing the events. Mr. Weasley sends an owl to the Ministry to let them know what happened and everyone declares that Hermione is not going anywhere alone until this is straightened out. She is reprimanded firmly by Mr. Weasley for walking by herself and assures him she won't try that stunt again.

They would have talked even longer if Mrs. Weasley hadn't made Harry and Ron continue packing, which was met by a barrage of complaints.

Fred refuses to leave Hermione alone and insists on helping her pack her things in her room.

"Fred. It's okay. I'm fine, really. You can go help George un-pack at your flat." She caresses the worn cover of her favorite book before placing it carefully on a pile near her trunk.

"I'm not leaving you, love." He stands near her dresser, playing with her jewelry; a necklace currently hanging from his left ear, while he tries to balance a bracelet on his nose.

"I'm safe here. It's fine."

"But you're not fine." Her hands still in their movements of folding up a blue sweater and she looks at him in surprise.

"You say you're fine, Hermione, but I know you're going to stay wide awake in fear tonight and, then, you'll have nightmares about that bitch who tortured you."

"How did you know?" She whispers.

"Because I care about you and I'm beginning to know you, Hermione. And you need company right now, as much as your pride refuses to admit it."

"Thank you," she gently kisses him on the cheek, snags the necklace and bracelet, and resumes packing. She doesn't notice that he reverently holds his check and grins goofily.

A quiet knock sounds on the door and Mrs. Weasley enters. "Hermione? Oh! Fred, I didn't realize you were still here. Is your poor brother un-packing all by himself?"

"Maybe?"

"Never mind. It's for the best that you're here, I suppose. We need to talk to you both downstairs."

The couple shares a questioning glance with each other before following her to the parlor, where they sit on the couch and face a very serious Mr. and Mrs. Weasley.

"Hermione, Fred, this might come as a shock, but..." Mr. Weasley trails off and helplessly ] looks to his wife.

"We're afraid the wedding has to be moved up. We simply cannot wait until February. You need to get married now. The sooner, the better."

"WHAT?" Tension spreads over her like a wildfire; first McNair and now this? Did some malicious individual cast a curse on her this morning just for fun?

"Uh, why?" Fred's eyes are as wide as saucers.

"You're being watched, Hermione. The death eaters have found some way to track you. Most likely, they'll try to come after you again. If you marry Fred now, your last name will change, and your location will change to the flat, making it much harder for them to find you."

"Oh my god," she whispers, unsure if she can do this.

"How soon?" Fred asks anxiously.

"Well, ever fancy a Sunday wedding?" Mr. Weasley asks tentatively.

"SUNDAY! Arthur, you cannot expect her to plan a wedding in one day! We have to get flowers and send out invitations and-"

"No. No invitations, Molly. This will be our family only. No one can know they're married. We're trying to hide that fact from the death eaters so that it's harder to find her, remember?"

"Right, right. But Sunday?"

"It's okay, Mrs. Weasley. I wanted a smaller wedding anyway. I'm sure it will be lovely."

"Very well. Let me just go get my magazines. You already have a dress, and I can conjure up some flowers..." She abruptly stands and hurries to her room to retrieve her wedding supplies.

Mr. Weasley looks between the couple and clears his throat, saying something about getting a drink before wandering off.

"Well, that was... unexpected," Fred mutters.

"I'm so sorry, Fred," Hermione says.

"Sorry?"

"This is all my fault! If I hadn't been so careless, we wouldn't have to get married so soon. Neither of us are ready to l-live together!"

"Oh, love. It's fine. We'll be okay. Not sure how George will feel about sharing the flat though. He won't be able to dance around in his boxers and sing if you're always around." He grins but she doesn't laugh.

With a sigh, he pulls her into his arms and rocks her back and forth. She inhales deeply, secretly loving his mixed scent of sweet cologne and gunpowder.

"It'll be okay."

She really hopes he's right.

* * *

_A/N: I'm trying to improve my writing style so that it includes the 5 senses more, because I've noticed that I usually focus primarily on sight, which leaves so much to be desired. If anyone has any suggestions or friendly criticism, please share :)_


	12. Chapter 12

_A/N: Thank you for the reviews and alerts! I really appreciate them! The poll is now closed. Also, just to let everyone know, I am starting up university again this week, which unfortunately means my updates might be less frequent. Don't worry, though, I'm not going to abandon this story. _

Fred continues to rock Hermione in his arms as they sit on the couch, both of them absolutely stunned by the revelation that they're going to be married in a little less than forty-eight hours.

With impeccable timing as usual, George chooses that moment to saunter into the living room.

They hear him shouting before he walks in. "OI! FRED! You wanker! I had to unpack everything myself! And those stupid muggle swimsuit magazines of yours gave me a paper cut when I unpacked them!"

Having finally walked into the room and seen that Fred is cradling an obviously upset Hermione in his arms, George shuts up. He stands before them with a concerned look on his face. "What's wrong now?"

Fred grimaces. "Well, George...looks like you're going to be my best man before I get to be yours."

George's eyebrows lower. "Don't tell me... you didn't get her pregnant? OW!" His remark earns a very hard punch on the shoulder from Fred.

"No, you idiot, I didn't get her pregnant!" Fred briefly explains to his twin the situation about how Mr. and Mrs. Weasley believe Hermione will be safer from any crazy death eaters if she marries Fred now.

"Wow," George murmurs, sitting next to them on the couch. "Wow."

Hermione finally pulls back from Fred and laughs wetly. "That's what they all say when I'm around," she feebly jokes.

Both twins look at her like she's lost her marbles, before George mock growls, "Hey! That's my line!"

They all crack up laughing and Hermione can't help but hope that maybe, just maybe everything will be okay.

After saying a hasty goodnight to George, and giving Fred a slightly-needy kiss for reassurance, Hermione spends the next hour packing up her clothes and other miscellaneous items in her room.

_I cannot believe this, _she thinks as she packs. _How am I going to do this? I don't know how to be a wife! I haven't even shagged anyone before! And I'll have to cook for him and... and have children! Oh my god! I'm not ready to be a mother! _With a sigh, she sits down on her bed, wishing her own Mum were there to offer advice. _MUM! _She bolts upright and hurries to her desk, quickly writing a note to her parents, realizing that they have no clue that she's going to get married in two days time.

She runs downstairs, grabs Ron's owl, and, after admonishing it ("Stay still, Pig, so I can get this letter on you!"), she sends it off.

Hermione returns to her room and flops back down on her bed, staring at the ceiling and wondering how exactly she's going to make it through this.

She tosses and turns, periodically glancing at the window with the hope of seeing a small owl flying towards her with her parents' reply.

Eventually, she drifts into an uneasy sleep filled with shadows and strangers chasing after her.

* * *

Meanwhile, after saying goodnight to Hermione and flooing back to the flat, Fred is pacing in his and George's living room.

"Uh, Fred? You're going to wear a hole in the rug." George is leaning against the fireplace, watching his twin with an amused, and slightly worried, expression on his face.

Fred stops pacing and looks down, as if to assure himself that the floor is still there. George snorts when he sees this.

"Sorry, George. I'm just a little freaked out. I mean, bloody hell! I don't know how to be a husband or a father or any of that shite. What if I screw up?"

"You won't."

"How do you know?"

"Well, for one thing, you're a Weasley twin. We don't screw things up much, if you haven't noticed. For another, you're a great guy, and Hermione cares for you. Anyone can see that. No, I think the only way you can screw this up is if you continue to freak out like a prick."

"Hey!"

"Just being honest with you, Freddie. You need to be strong for Hermione right now."

With a sigh, Fred sinks down into their hideously bright-red sofa. "S'posse you're right. I'll be strong for her."

"Fire whiskey?"

"I dunno, George...Mum'll murder us if we get drunk tonight. She wants us to help."

"Just a shot to celebrate your impending nuptials, dear brother."

"Ah, what the hell." Fred grabs the drink George pours for him but stops when its halfway to his lips and he realizes that George is watching him a little too eagerly. "You almost got me. So, what'd you put in it?"

"Damn! It almost worked. I thought since you were distracted you wouldn't catch on. It was just a little bit of a cheering draught, that's all."

Fred raises an eyebrow. "Last time we gave Harry a_ bit_ of a cheering draught, he spent the entire day skipping around the Burrow, singing a horribly out-of-tune rendition of 'You are My Sunshine.' Remember?"

"Oh, yeah. I'd forgotten. Besides, it doesn't have the same effect on everyone. I bet you'd twirl around like a ballerina all day or something," George shrugs.

Fred carefully sets the drink down with a wary look. "That would absolutely destroy my manly reputation, you twat!"

"I know," George grins with an evil look on his face. "Face it, mate. We're both almost married anyway. We might as well cut off the family jewels for good."

With a grimace and a shudder, Fred says, "Ouch. Well, if I have to lose my bachelorhood, at least it's to Hermione."

George laughs. "I'll toast to that."

They clink their glasses together and drink the fiery liquid in one gulp, their faces twisting into sour expressions as the drink burns on the way down.

* * *

The next morning, Hermione's awoken by the sound of a very excited owl tapping against her bedroom window in 12 Grimmauld place. With a moan, she shuffles to the window and opens the clasp.

Pig hoots loudly and flies around her head. "Honestly, Pig! Get over here! Stay still!" She finally manages to extract the parchment from the crazy bird, which continues to zoom around her room. Crookshanks watches the owl with a suspicious eye.

With trembling hands, Hermione opens the parchment to find the following:

_Hermione,_

_We just got your letter, dear, and quite frankly, we are shocked! Is this really the only way to solve this problem? Surely, you could come home for a few weeks until this all gets straightened out? We love you, darling, and we want the best for you, but we're not sure that a hasty marriage is the way to go. We will be arriving early on Sunday morning to discuss this with you and the Weasley family. Until then, hang in there, sweetie, and please don't do anything rash. _

_Love, _

_Mum and Dad_

_P.S. Your father looks like he wants to murder this boy, but I'll try to calm him down before we arrive!_

Hermione covers her face with a groan, wishing her parents understood why she has to do this. That they don't understand is partially her fault, however, because she was very sparse on the details of the recent events, not wanting them to worry about her being in danger. They have no clue that she was almost tortured again. She cannot find it within herself to bring them any more pain.

She sets the letter down and gets dressed into jean shorts and a pink-and-white striped t-shirt, remembering that today is the day that they're moving from 12 Grimmuald place back to the Burrow. She also has to plan her entire wedding today. This is going to be interesting...

* * *

"Morning person-who-looks-almost-as-handsome-as-me! Guess what?" Lights streams into the previously dark bedroom as Fred flings open the door and pounces on George's bed.

"Percy's bringing his bride tomorrow! Y'know, the one that no one's seen? Oh, this is going to be good," Fred says gleefully as he bounces up and down on his brother's bed. They have separate rooms now, but neither finds the need to knock unless the other brings a girl home.

"Gerrof, Fred! We can prank prude Percy later," George makes a weak attempt at shoving Fred off his bed and pulls his pillow over his ginger-haired head.

"C'mon, George! Wakey, wakey! We have to help everyone move today, 'member? Get up, you lazy sod!"

"Who you calling lazy, you tosser? I was the one who unpacked yesterday!" George's voice comes out muffled from under the pillow.

Unfortunately for George, Fred had decided he'd had enough of this and whips out his wand from his robes, spraying George with water using a charms spell.

"AH! What the hell, Fred! Alright, you crazy git! I'm up, I'm up!" A soaking wet George glares at his twin and then trudges to the loo, scratching his arm and yawning.

Fred calls after him, "Fine. Don't thank me, even if I did save you a step! No need to shower!"

George slams the door shut with a growl and Fred laughs quietly to himself. Unlike him, George has never been a morning person.

He putters about their flat, making pancakes, whistling to hide his apprehension about the next two days. Maybe if he pretends that he's relaxed, he'll become that way. He shakes his head, yeah, right.

* * *

"HARRY POTTER!" A voice bellows from somewhere down the hall and feet stomp towards them in the creaky building of Grimmauld place.

Harry and Ron look up from their trunks. Everyone has already eaten breakfast, because Mrs. Weasley insisted on an early start to the day, so Hermione could have the afternoon to plan her wedding after they unpacked. When they'd heard that Hermione and Fred are getting married on Sunday, both men's jaws had dropped, but they'd agreed, albeit grudgingly, it was for the best to protect their friend.

Ron and Harry look at each other, alarmed expressions on their faces. "What'd you do, mate?" Ron whispers, his eyes wide.

"Dunno. Maybe she'll go away," Harry whispers back as they hear Hermione storming closer to their bedroom door.

The door swings open and slams against the wall with a bang, causing Ron to cower behind his trunk, on the pretense of folding some socks.

Hermione stands there, her hair wild and her eyes blazing with fury. "Harry James Potter! How could you?"

"Er, what?"

She walks into the room, waving a letter around with her hand, clearly upset. "Ginny just owled me and told me she'd heard from her own mother about the wedding before you! She said you haven't owled her in over a week!"

"Well, you see, Hermione, we've been busy practicing for auror training. It starts next week and-Ow! Blimey, Hermione!"

That. Is. No. Excuse!" She hits him on the head with the parchment as she says each word. "She said she's owled you twice this past week but you haven't responded!"

"Erm..."

"Well? What do you have to say for yourself?"

"I meant to but...I forgot."

"Oh, for god's sakes!" She throws the letter at him and it hits him on the chest before falling toward the floor. "Write to her, now!"

He nods and fervently hopes that she's going to leave the room. Just as she is doing so, though, she catches sight of Ron out of the corner of her eye, clearly hunched down behind his trunk lid, hoping she won't see him. "Oh please, Ronald. I'm not an idiot! I know you don't fold your socks! You're being a coward! MEN!" She huffs.

Hermione storms from the room and slams the door behind her again, causing them both to jump.

Ron looks at Harry and shrugs. "Y'know. I'm actually kind of relieved I'm not marrying a bird with a temper like that."

"I HEARD THAT!"

"Bloody hell," mutters Ron, knowing Hermione will be glaring at him the rest of the day. Harry chokes back a laugh and shakes his head, still thinking that women scare him. A lot.

* * *

Fred and George arrive to find Mrs. Weasley standing in the front hallway shrinking the last of their trunks and other items for easier transport.

She turns to glare at them. "Nice of you two to show up! I thought I asked you to be here to help with packing, but clearly you'd rather have a bit of lie-in than obey your own mother!"

They both quickly come to kiss her on the cheek.

"Sorry, Mum."

"Sorry. We wouldn't have been late if George here hadn't overslept," George says.

Mrs. Weasley, hands on her hips, shakes her head at the other twin. "George Weasley!"

"I'm Fred, Mum."

Mrs. Weasley turns, hands still on her hips, to face the other twin, standing behind her, "George Weasley!"

"Need some help with the luggage, Mum?"

She blinks, surprised at their offer. "Why, yes that would be lovely, but don't you think this means either of you are off the hook yet, because you-"

"Right. Got it, Mum." Fred subtly reaches into his pocket, then quickly unwraps and throws one of their new inventions, a bar of soap that bubbles uncontrollably after contact with human skin, toward a trunk. "Uh, why is Ron's trunk bubbling?"

"Bubbling?" She glances down and finds that Ron's trunk does indeed have brink green bubbles seeping from the seams onto the floor. "What on Earth? RON!"

He appears from the kitchen, crumbs sticking to his face as he devours a pasty, despite the fact that they had breakfast only a half-hour ago. "Yeah, Mum?"

"What happened to your trunk?"

He shuffles forward and drops his food when he sees it. "Bloody hell!"

"LANGUAGE!"

"Sorry, Mum! But I didn't...Wait! What did you two do?" He peers around at the retreating backs of Fred and George, who wink at him.

"Don't look at us."

"Yeah, we've only just arrived."

"What mayhem could we possibly create in such a short span of time?"

"We were just trying to help our poor, overworked Mum-"

"Unlike you," they finish together and quickly scamper away, leaving a bewildered Ron and exasperated Mrs. Weasley to deal with the mess.

They split up at the stairway; Fred goes to find Hermione while George looks for Harry to offer him some help with his packing and lugging his trunk downstairs.

Fred pauses at the doorway to Hermione's room, smiling fondly as he pushes the door open with a creak, to find her pointing her wand at her things and shrinking them.

"Too bad Harry and Ron didn't think of that. They're lugging all of their stuff downstairs and then shrinking it."

She rolls her eyes. "Typical."

Fred walks closer and gently kisses her, one hand caressing her hair as the other massages her lower back. "Hi."

"Mm...hi. That was nice."

He raises an eyebrow and grins. "Why, thank you. Does that mean I'm a good kisser?"

"Oh, shut up."

He pulls her closer, dancing her around the room and making her laugh. With a final spin, he twirls Hermione towards the bed and she lands on it softly, looking at him inquiringly.

"What was that about?"

"What, don't you like dancing, love?"

"Um, yes, but I don't usually dance in the middle of packing, Fred."

"Oh, really?" He makes a show of being bewildered. "I do."

She laughs slightly and stands up, finishes shrinking her items, and then places them in her small, beaded purse.

"You still have that?"

"Yes."

"Wow. That must've been a strong spell to last this long."

"I'm a woman of many talents," she smiles.

"You're corrupting her, Fred," George states from the doorway. They look to find him standing there, arms crossed, watching them with a knowing smirk on his face.

"Why is that, dear twin?"

"She actually made a joke," George notes. "Hermione Granger. Amazing."

"Oh, shut up!" She mutters, sliding past George into the hallway.

Fred grins. "I wonder how many times we can get her to say that in one day. She's already said it to both of us once."

George smiles. "For such a bright witch, she really does need to increase her vocabulary, doesn't she?"

A hex whizzes by his ear, barely missing him. Fred laughs at George's surprised look. "I think she heard you, George."

Fred slings an arm around his twin's shoulders and they walk from the room, looking forward to seeing the Burrow for the first time in quite a while.

Arriving downstairs, they find that Mrs. Weasley has gathered everyone near the fireplace.

Mr. Weasley informs them, "I've had the Burrow temporarily connected to Grimmauld so we can travel easier. Fred, George. Why don't you two go first?"

"Why's it always us?" George whispers loud enough for everyone to hear.

"Because Dad said so," Percy says.

Fred jokes, "The handsomest always go first, George."

"Ah, well in that case, I'll go first, Fred."

"WHAT! No, you won't! I'm the better looking one!"

"Are not!"

"Are too!"

They scuffle to get in front of each other and it takes Harry and Ron to pull them apart.

Hermione shakes her head. "Didn't you two argue about this a while ago?"

"Yeah, so?"

"It's a complicated argument, Hermione. Appearances change so we have to deliberate it repeatedly."

"Yeah. Lose an ear here..."

"Some scars there."

"A new freckle."

"Fred's pimples."

"Hey!"

"Just being honest."

"Well, if we're being honest, then what about the large mole shaped like a rabbit that Angelina told me you have on your arse-"

"FRED WEASLEY!"

Mrs. Weasley breaks up their argument, barely able to hide her smile. "Sorry, Mum," both twins say before stepping into the floo and vanishing.

Everyone breaks into laughter as soon as the twins disappear. Hermione wipes away a tear of joy from her eyes. Those two never fail to make her laugh.

Soon, only Harry, Hermione, and Mrs. Weasley are left.

"You next, Hermione, dear. Unpack as quickly as you can so we can set up for your wedding."

"Yes, Mrs. Weasley," a shiver of apprehension runs down her spine at the thought of her impending wedding. I_t's so soon, what if I'm a horrible wife? _She worries.

A little push from Harry reminds her that she hasn't left yet. She scoops up the powder, steps into the fireplace and clearly says, "The Burrow," while throwing it down.

A flash of green light erupts and Grimmauld place spins quickly from her view.


	13. Chapter 13

Hermione stumbles out of the fireplace, coughing slightly as she brushes soot off her robes.

"Ugh. I hate floo travel," she mutters, but looks up and realizes that no one is there.

She quickly takes the many stairs up to Ginny's room and places her bag on the cot she uses while visiting. She stares at it with a perplexed expression and is so caught up in thinking that she doesn't hear the arrival of the others or the footsteps coming her direction.

"It helps if you unpack it," a familiar female voice jokes.

Hermione is startled out of her trance as she glances to find Ginny standing in the room.

"Ginny!" She gives the younger woman a large hug. "What are you doing here?"

"Oh, I see how it is. I'm not wanted, am I? Relax, Hermione. I was just joking. Anyway, its Hogsmeade weekend and, after I got the owl from Mum about the wedding, I kind of snuck out via George and Fred's floo in their new joke shop in Hogsmeade. One of their workers helped me."

"Ginny Weasley! You're going to get in so much trouble!"

"Relax. McGonagall doesn't even know. I'll be back by Monday. By the time anyone misses me, it'll be too late for them to do anything about it. I'll deal with the consequences later."

A voice pipes up from the hall, "Too late, Gin. Mum's already owled McGonagall."

"Shit," she whispers.

George laughs and gives her a boisterous hug, squeezing her so hard that she squeals in protest. "Missed you, sis."

"Yeah, Harry's been a right pain in the arse with you gone. He's always mooning about."

"Don't forget drooling with a vacant expression, Fred."

"Good point, George. Say, maybe he's imperiused."

"Nah. Just lovesick. Bloody disgusting, it is."

"And over our ickle, annoying sister."

"HEY!"

They pinch her cheeks affectionately and laugh. George, after sharing a glance with Fred, drags her from the room.

"George, what're you-?"

"Shh! Which worker helped you, anyway? Need to thank the bloke."

He manages to pull the door shut with a wink and Hermione finds herself alone with Fred. An awkward silence ensues as they pretend not to look at each other. Fred shuffles his feet and clears his throat while she walks toward her bag and stares at it again.

"Er, Hermione? D'you need some help unpacking?"

"I-I...no...it's just that I'm, well, not sure if I...should," she ventures. Her face flushes as she rushes on, "We're going to be married tomorrow, and I don't even know if I'll be staying in this room or with you at the flat and I have no clue what's expected of me. I don't even know how to cook a proper meal and clean house and I have no clue how to be a wife or a mother or any of this stuff, Fred!"

He looks gobsmacked. "Whoa. Didn't realize you were dealing with all that, love. But, it'll be okay. I reckon you could live with me at the flat if you want to? George won't mind as long as you don't? He'll have his own room or he can live with Angelina until they get married if it bothers you. As for cooking, well, I'm rubbish at it too, so we'll figure that out together. There's always takeout."

Fred sits next to her on the cot and draws a comforting arm around her shoulder. "Love?"

She stiffens and nods. "I'm scared, Fred. I have no clue what I'm doing."

"And you think I do? Hell, Hermione, I spent half of last night pacing the living room. George thought I would wear a hole in the floor and fall into the shop below!"

She giggles at the thought. "I can just imagine it: Your legs flailing about below with your head and shoulders stuck in a giant hole in the floor above."

He rolls his eyes. "Thanks. Real charming. You okay, now?"

"Not really. But... I will be, I think. Eventually."

"Right," he states. "Maybe we should prank Ron again?"

"No, Fred," she says, exasperated.

"Just trying to help, love."

They sit in a slightly more comfortable silence for a few minutes before Hermione gasps. "Oh, um, I sort of forgot to tell you something, Fred."

"Yeah?"

"My parents are coming here tomorrow and they're not exactly happy with this situation."

"Brilliant. Bloody brilliant," he groans, covering his face with his hands.

* * *

They spend the rest of the morning unpacking and straight after lunch, Mrs. Weasley drags Hermione and Ginny into the Burrow's newly-refurbished living room.

"Now, then. Hermione, it's obviously going to be a small wedding, dear. I know you already have your dress, but we need flowers, food, seating arrangements... And you need to pick a best maid."

"Oh, I hadn't even thought of that! It's Ginny, of course," Hermione smiles at her best girlfriend.

"Thanks!" Ginny squeals in excitement and hugs Hermione as Mrs. Weasley smiles at them fondly before getting back to business.

"Right. Well, that's settled. Let's see..."

Hermione sighs, thinking this may very well be a long afternoon. She's grateful for Mrs. Weasley's help and doesn't know how she'd get through this without her, but, at the same time, the details of a wedding can be a bit overwhelming, especially when planning one this quickly.

Finally, after hours of work, they finish setting up the Burrow for the wedding. A large canopy, not unlike the one in Bill and Fleur's wedding, adorns the backyard and tables covered in light pink roses are spread underneath.

Bright red and white lanterns hold a promise to light up the sky the following evening even as the smells of freshly baked lasagna, vegetables, rolls, and more waft from the Burrow's kitchen. Mrs. Weasley had decided to cook everything ahead of time so the dishes would only need to be reheated tomorrow.

With a sigh of relief, Hermione and Ginny survey their work proudly.

"Finally, we're done. By the way, Gin, where have the men gone? I thought they were supposed to help us with the tables?"

"I think Ron said something about a stag party?"

Hermione's eyes narrow. "No. I'm going to murder Fred if he gets drunk tonight!"

Ginny laughs. "Boy, you're going to have him whipped into shape in no time, Hermione."

Hermione nods firmly before striding into the kitchen on her way to her bedroom. She stops at the sight of a frazzled Mrs. Weasley, hovering over a delicious-smelling concoction on the stove. The poor older woman looks exhausted and her cheeks are flushed from over exertion.

A feeling of love wells up within Hermione and she walks calmly over to the other woman and grabs her in a tight hug from the side.

Mrs. Weasley looks up in surprise. "Why, thank you, dear. I dare say I need that about now."

"Do you need any help?" Hermione steps back and stands uncertainly near the table.

"No, No. I'm fine, thank you."

"No, thank you, Mrs. Weasley. I really appreciate all that you've done for me. You've become, like, well, a second mother to me," she blushes, fiddling with a napkin, unable to meet Mrs. Weasley's gaze.

Mrs. Weasley's eyes well up with tears and she dashes them away. "Oh, that's the sweetest thing someone's said to me in a long time. I'll always be glad to be a second mother to you, Hermione. And, tomorrow, you said your parents are coming? I'll be here for you, if you want."

Hermione swallows the suspiciously large lump in her throat. "That would be great. I need the support because I don't think they're very happy about this. Um, thanks...Mum."

She quickly runs out of the room and upstairs to the room she shares with Ginny, leaving a beaming Mrs. Weasley to continue cooking.

Ginny appears in the room a moment later, looking baffled. "Y'know, I think Mum's lost it. I walked into the kitchen and she was crying over a pot of mashed potatoes. She's mental."

Hermione snorts, but doesn't explain. She grabs her things for a quick shower before bed, and fights the feeling of trepidation that looms on the horizon, threatening to move in and control her.

"You are fine," she whispers to herself. "You're Hermione Granger. You can do this."

* * *

After a stag party filled with less drinking that Fred truly needed, but he knew Hermione would kill him if he got drunk, the twins apparated back to their flat.

"G'night, mate. Enjoy your last night of freedom," George smirks before hugging his brother quickly and bouncing off to bed.

Fred readies himself for bed as well but tosses and turns, unable to sleep, worried somehow that he'll screw something up tomorrow or that Hermione will suddenly decide that she doesn't want to marry him after all. Or, what if her parents whisk her away to the muggle world? He shudders, even though it's not cold in the room.

When he finally does fall asleep, he has very strange dreams...

_"FRED WEASLEY! PUT THAT DOWN THIS INSTANT! You know you're not supposed to be lifting heavy things right now," Hermione chides him as she takes the box of joke supplies from his arms. He'd been intending to carry them downstairs to the joke shop. _

_"Why not?" _

_"Don't be silly. Now, sit down for a while. Don't protest!"_

_She all but shoves him roughly into a plush armchair in their flat and then she does the oddest thing. She crouches on her feet, places her head near his stomach, and coos, "How are you today, little one? Are you being good for Mummy and Daddy?"_

_With a feeling of apprehension and shock, Fred looks down at his stomach, which cannot possibly be his. This must be some sort of cruel prank! It's extremely swollen._

_"Hermione? Did I gain weight or something?"_

_She snorts. "Don't be ridiculous, Fred. I've told you a million times that you're not fat! It's just baby weight. It'll disappear soon."_

_"B-baby weight?"_

_"Yes...? No, don't get up! You're due any day now, remember? You should relax a bit for once."_

_He gulps. He cannot possibly be...pregnant? Men can't get pregnant. _

_"Hermione, how did I become, well, y'know?"_

_Her eyebrows rise. "You were the one who wanted to do it this way, Fred Weasley, because I was too busy working to handle a maternity leave right now. Don't put this back on me!"_

_"Erm, right."_

_The scene shifts forward a few weeks and an odd tightening sensation ripples around his stomach and lower back for the umpteenth time that afternoon. _

_"HERMIONE! I THINK I'M IN LABOR!"_

_She rushes into the room, clearly in ultimate prefect mode. "Okay. Stay calm. Stay calm. Let's see...I've got the bag all packed with the essentials. Let me mark everything off the checklist and then we'll floo to St. Mungo's. Pajamas. Check. Camera. Check. Baby blanket. Che-"_

_"Blimey, woman! Take me to the bloody hospital already or I will hex you!"_

_"Wow. Okay. Sorry, Fred," she mutters as she grabs him and half-carries him over to the floo. _

_They arrive at the hospital amidst much shouting from Hermione for assistance and Fred soon finds himself, hours later, huffing and puffing as he lies in a hospital bed. _

_Hermione holds his hand, wincing when he squeezes it hard. "Almost there, darling. Just breathe." She breathes in and out with him and he growls. _

_"Shut up with the bloody breathing! I know how to breathe! This is all your fault!"_

_She looks distinctly offended. "Well, honestly!"_

_The nurse smiles at them. "He's just not used to the pain, honey. He doesn't mean it."_

_Hermione nods and takes Fred's hand again and the nurse states, "All right. One more push, now, Mr. Weasley."_

_"I'm not an idiot! I know when to push, woman!"_

_Fred pushes firmly and waits until the next contraction before he pushes firmer yet. Finally, they're rewarded with the sound of the nurse's gasp. "Congratulations! Here's your baby!"_

_She wraps up the bundle before Fred can see its face, although Hermione coos over it lovingly, so it can't be too ugly, he thinks ruefully as he grins. _

_Finally, the nurse places the heavy bundle in his arms and he draws back the blanket for the first look to find..._

_A bottle of firewhiskey?_

_Hermione smiles at him. "Isn't it beautiful, Fred? I'm so glad I married you."_

_"Er..."_

With a start, Fred Weasley wakes and sits bolt upright in his bed, his hands frantically grasping his flat stomach to ensure himself that he's not pregnant.

He shakes his head, thinking that he's never having firewhiskey again, and decides to wander to the kitchen to get a glance of warm milk to help him sleep.

He walks in to find that George is sitting there, eating a bowl of rice. "Couldn't sleep either, mate?"

"Nah." He doesn't even contemplate telling George his dream, knowing his brother will never let him hear the end of it. Fred walks to the cabinet that is charmed to stay constantly cool and grabs the milk, pours himself a glass, warms it with his wand, and sits down next to his twin.

George sighs. "It's so weird to think that tomorrow there'll be someone that you're bonded with and will probably be closer to than me, Freddie."

Fred's eyebrows shoot up; he hadn't realized George was worrying about this. "Relax, George. You can't get rid of me that easily, mate. I love Hermione, but she'll never replace my twin."

George grins at him. "You're right. I was being stupid. It's crazy how much things are going to change this year, though, innit?"

"Yeah." Fred sips his milk and watches George grimace. "What?"

"I don't know how you can drink stuff that came from another mammal's body. Ugh."

Fred shrugs.

"Speaking of which, I need something a little stronger to help me sleep." George walks to the cabinet and pulls out some firewhiskey. "Want some? At least it didn't come out of an animal."

Fred barely manages to keep from spewing his milk everywhere. "Er...no thanks. In fact, I think I'll head back to bed."

Fred scurries off as if running for his life and George glances at the bottle apprehensively before whispering to it, "It's okay. He didn't mean to hurt your feelings. I'll give you loads of attention."

He downs some with a gulp and winces as it burns on the way down, but smiles after, glad to know that Fred will still be his twin, no matter what happens.

* * *

The next morning, Mrs. Weasley shakes Hermione awake. "Hermione. Wake up, dear. Your parents have arrived," she whispers.

Hermione, suddenly wide awake now, reaches for her wand and apparates from the room into the living room, making both of her parents jump at the sound.

"Mum! Dad!" She gives them both a tight hug and they kiss her cheek before pulling back.

Her father studies her sternly. "Now, what is this I hear about you getting married today, Hermione Jean Granger?"

"Well, um, I don't really have a choice-"

"Don't be daft! Of course you do, darling!"

"No, Dad, I really don't... Besides, I want to marry Fred."

"Well, that's good to know," a voice jokes from the doorway, although it quavers slightly at the end of the sentence, betraying the speaker's nervousness. Hermione and her parents turn to look at Fred, leaning casually against the door's frame.

He walks over to her and quickly kisses her on the cheek in front of her parents, causing her to blush. "Morning, love."

"G-good morning. Mum. Dad. This is my fiancé, Fred Weasley."

"Good to meet you, sir. Ma'am." He sticks out his hand, clearly expecting them to shake it, which her father only does grudgingly and Hermione swears he purposefully squeezes Fred's hand so hard that it must've hurt. Fred, to his credit, doesn't wince.

"You are not marrying our daughter, young man." Her father states it firmly as if it's not even a question to be contested.

"I would have to respectfully disagree with you, sir. You see, Hermione just said she wants to marry me and it's really a matter of safety at this point."

"Safety? Safety! We can keep her perfectly safe at home!" Mrs. Granger says, looking at her daughter in concern.

"I'm afraid it's not that simple," Mrs. Weasley says as the walks into the room and commands them all with her presence. She briefly explains the situation and somehow manages to calm down both of Hermione's parents, to her utter amazement.

After nearly an hour of discussion, her mother turns toward her. "Is this really what you want, sweetie?"

"Yes, Mum. It is. As Mrs. Weasley told you, I have to get married due to the marriage law anyway and I want to marry Fred."

"Very well, dear. Then I support you," her Mum whispers as she hugs her daughter.

Her father grunts. "Well. I can't say that I'm happy about this but I'm not going to lose my chance to walk you down the aisle. But, let me make something clear, _Mr. _Weasley. If you ever, and I mean ever, hurt my baby girl, I will hurt you so badly you won't be able to walk again," he sneers.

Fred gulps nervously. "Right, sir. Can't blame you. I won't. I care about your daughter deeply."

"Right. You better take care of her if you know what's good for you," her father states, sitting back with a sigh.

An awkward silence settles upon them for a minute before Fred abruptly stands up. "Well. If you lot will excuse me, I think I need to go change my pants after that frightening encounter."

Hermione snorts and covers her mouth with her hand, trying not to laugh out loud. Mrs. Weasley looks at her son disapprovingly, albeit slightly amused.

"He was joking," she whispers to her Mum.

"I knew that," she states, the corners of her mouth twitching upwards.

George chooses that moment to wander into the room. "Oh, hullo, Hermione. How are you today, love?" He walks over and drops a quick kiss on her forehead before realizing her parents are there and hastily backing out of the room after murmuring an excuse.

Her parents look at her, bemused, as if they don't know whether to laugh or cry.

"Did I mention that Fred's a twin?"

"Oh, thank goodness! I thought he had some weird short-term memory problem or something," her Mum gasps.

Her father snorts in a fashion similar to his daughter and rolls his eyes while Hermione giggles. Somehow, she thinks, things might be okay.

* * *

_Okay. Here's the deal. I lied. I said the wedding will be in this chapter, but it's been pushed to the next. I'm very, very sorry. There's something about this story that causes me to write and write and write, making chapters longer than I expect them to be. _

_Fred's strange, creepy dream is based off of a Bill Cosby show episode. I cannot remember which, but it was quite funny._

_Thanks for the reviews! :)_


	14. Chapter 14

_Thank you for the reviews/alerts. I apologize for the delay._

"HERMIONE! There you are! C'mon! It's time to get ready!" Ginny steps up to her and practically drags Hermione from the table, where she had been contentedly enjoying her cheese sandwich for lunch.

"Ginny? It's only one o'clock!"

"So? These things take time. Don't look at me like that, Hermione Granger! I will not hesitate to hex you if you don't come with me right now!"

Harry looks up from his roast beef sandwich and chuckles. "She's not joking, trust me."

"Whipped," Ron coughs, earning him a solid glare from Ginny.

Hermione, at Ginny's insistence, spends the rest of the day preparing for her wedding. She and Fred are getting married at precisely 7 p.m., to be followed by Mrs. Weasley's marvelous dinner and a lot of dancing.

She can only pray that whatever pranks Fred and George plan won't be too disastrous.

Not that she has had an opportunity to reprimand Fred for whatever the twins are planning because he and George have mysteriously disappeared. That, in and of itself, makes her worry about what they're up to.

Before she knows it, it's time for her to slip into her wedding dress. Ginny literally spent nearly two hours on Hermione's hair. It was ridiculous and, in her opinion, highly unnecessary, but Ginny threatened to tie her to the chair, so she kept quiet.

"Here we are, Hermione. Let's get you into this," Mrs. Weasley smiles and Hermione carefully steps into the dress.

Mrs. Weasley smiles at her before a surprised look overcomes her face. "Oh no! I forgot something! I'll be right back!"

Ginny moves behind her to zip the dress up, but pauses halfway up and gasps. "Oh my god! Hermione, don't tell me you've gained weight!"

"WHAT?" She tries to peer at her back, making her look like a dog trying to chase its own tail as she turns in a slow circle.

Ginny gives a roguish grin and quickly zips the rest of the dress up. "Just kidding."

"Ooh! Ginny Weasley, if you weren't my Matron of Honor, I'd-"

"Here it is!" Mrs. Weasley bustles back into the room and looks at Ginny, laughing hard. "Is everything okay?"

"S'fine, Mum. Hermione was telling me how much she loves me, is all," Ginny smiles. Hermione rolls her eyes in response before laughing slightly as well.

"Here it is, dear. I know muggles have traditions about borrowed and true...or was that glue? Something like that. Anyway, Ginny and I picked this up for you."

"Borrowed and blue, Mum," mutters Ginny in an exasperated sense that betrays she's probably reminded her mother of the muggle phrase a thousand times while they were shopping.

Hermione slowly opens the gift, pulling back the paper to reveal a bracelet adorned with blue pearls. "Wow. It's beautiful. Thank you so much!" She gives both women a quick hug and they help her finish putting on her shoes and veil. Finally, after so much fussing that Hermione's considering apparating away, they're finished.

A teary-eyed Mrs. Weasley smiles at her. "You look absolutely beautiful, Hermione."

"Bloody hot," Ginny adds, earning a reproachful look from her mother.

Hermione cautiously steps up to the mirror and smiles widely at the woman in front of her. She's heard of those wedding stories in which the woman doesn't even recognize herself in the mirror.

That's not the case for her:

She still looks like Hermione Granger, but her curly hair has been slightly tamed to frame her head beautifully. Her dress shows off a figure that she's spent too many years hiding, and the bracelet highlights the paleness of her skin.

She's beautiful and always has been. It's just easier to see now.

A frantic knock at the door interrupts them and they frown, wondering who it could be. They still have ten minutes before they have to proceed to the backyard.

"HERMIONE!"

"Uh, George?" she asks, moving next to the door.

"Er, not exactly..."

"George, I know it's you! I can tell the difference between your and Fred's voices!"

"I know...but it's really Fred. George and I were working on a spell and it screwed up...we accidently switched bodies. Please don't murder me, love!"

"YOU WHAT?" Hermione's eyes bug out comically, while Mrs. Weasley's face turns into a thundercloud.

"FRED WEASLEY! HOW COULD YOU? ON YOUR OWN WEDDING DAY!"

"Uh, hi Mum," a meek voice says from the other side of the door.

They hear something else, then, a muffled footstep and another voice joins Fred's own. "What're you doing? Are you talking to Hermione?"

"Yeah... But you don't have to-"

"Don't be ridiculous, George! I want to talk to her too!"

"George?" Hermione hisses angrily.

"It was just a joke," George laughs before running off. Hermione huffs angrily while Mrs. Weasley lets off a sigh of relief. Ginny chuckles at the prank as she shakes her head.

"Hermione? You still there?"

"Yes, Fred. Beat up your twin for me, would you?"

"It's not too late to back out, Fred," George yells from somewhere nearby. "She's a violent woman!"

"Are you nervous?" Fred asks.

"A bit. Are you?"

"Hell yeah. But it'll be okay. I promise."

Fred laughs and his voice is so close that Hermione can almost see him. "I'll see you soon, Mr. Weasley.

"I can't wait to see you, love."

The footsteps fade and Hermione turns to find Mrs. Weasley and Ginny both pretending not to listen to her conversation with Fred, even though the surreptitious glances abetray their eavesdropping.

Before she knows it, Hermione's father has arrived. "You look beautiful, darling," he whispers gruffly. "And while I certainly don't approve of you getting married this young, I wouldn't miss this for the world."

"Thanks, Dad."

She takes his arm and he escorts her to the backyard, where an altar has been set up near the reception tent.

Everyone watching her makes her nervous, but her eyes lock on Fred's and the love welling up for her there astounds her. They haven't declared feelings of love for each other yet, but Fred's eyes betray him anyway. It makes her slightly emotional and she wipes away a tear.

At the end of the aisle, her father kisses her cheek before giving Fred a stern look that makes him swallow nervously.

She steps up to him and smiles nervously, her lips trembling. She cannot believe she's getting married!

He leans in to whisper, "You look beautiful, Hermione."

"Thanks. So do you...uh... HandsomeImean..." She flushes and he bites back a laugh before turning back to Percy, who had reluctantly, at his parents' insistence, agreed to be the ministry official to preside over their wedding.

"A-hem," Percy clears his throat pompously. "We are gathered here today to witness the joining of this witch and wizard..."

Fred fakes a yawn before winking at her and she giggles, causing Percy to pause and frown at them before continuing. Fred's action, though, served its purpose because some of her nervousness is gone. Percy continues through the rest of the vows, droning on in his stern voice, but she doesn't really hear any of it until...

"Do you, Fred Weasley, promise to be bonded to this witch, Hermione Granger, as long as you both shall live?"

"I do."

"Do you, Herimone Granger, promise to be bonded to this wizard, Fred WEasley, as long as you both shall live?"

"I do," she whispers.

"Then, I pronounce you bonded for life." A shower of sparks emits from their joined wands, indicating their bondage.

"You may kiss the bride."

"Finally!" Fred groans, and the family laughs.

He leans forward, and, in typical Weasley twin fashion, dips her down low and kisses her, making a show of it.

He pulls away quickly, though, and helps her stand.

"I present to you, Mr. and Mrs. Fred Weasley," Percy states importantly.

At the phrase, hundred of pieces of paper charmed to look and fly like doves, erupt from under the altar and fly over the heads of the guests, before ripping up and dropping confetti everywhere.

"Cute, Fred," Hermione laughs.

"What can I say, I have style."

They finish walking down the aisle, and, after everyone congratulates them, the real party begins.

Under the enormous tapestry, the tables are removed and a piano, drum set, and saxophone are set up and charmed to play themselves. The instruments were there at Hermione's insistence. Fred, having never seen such instruments before had asked, "What are these muggle torture devices?" It was only after Hermione showed him how she could charm them to play themselves that he agreed that they would be much better than magically amplifying songs on the radio. Still, she wouldn't be surprised if he kept a wide berth from them all night.

Halfway through their first dance, Fred leans down and whispers, "Well, Mrs. Weasley, how do you like being married so far?"

"It's only been a little over ten minutes, Fred."

"Yeah? And?"

"I can't say I particularly mind it."

"Good," he looks immensely satisfied and she laughs. He cuts off her laugh with a brief kiss on the lips, eliciting a wolf-whistle from George. She blushes but ignores him and soon the others are joining them on the dance floor.

After a half-hour of dancing, an exhausted Hermione and Fred take a break to go get some drinks form the refreshment table. Standing near the table, though, is a small, red-headed little girl.

"Um, hi. Who are you?" Hermione doesn't remember inviting this particular guest to the wedding. She gives Fred a quizzical look when he starts to laugh hysterically at the sight of the little girl.

"I'm _Ron_," the girl nearly yells.

"_What?_"

"Yeah, that's right. My bloody gits of brothers slipped polyjuice potion into my drink."

Fred grins and pulls on a pigtail. "We thought it'd suit you."

"Yep," George walks over with Angelina on his arm. "We wanted your appearance to reflect your inner-being."

"Which means we think you act like an eight-year-old girl," Fred adds.

"But don't worry, ickle Ronnie. You'll change back..."

"In an hour or two," Fred finishes for his twin and they burst out laughing as Ron stalks away. Hermione and Angelina frown at them.

"That wasn't very nice," Hermione points out, but her twitching lips betray her amusement. She also feels slightly relieved, knowing this is probably the last trick that the twins will play on Ron as revenge for him dumping her for Parvarti.

"Uh oh. Better be careful, Fred. Hermione might make you sleep on the couch tonight," George jokes. Angelina rolls her eyes at Hermione but she turns beet red and scampers off after whispering an excuse.

"OW! What was that for?" George rubs both shoulders as Fred and Angelina had simultaneously hit him.

"For being insensitive, you twit!"

"You mean she's never...?"

"Nope."

"Are you going to turn me into a little girl too, now?"

"Hmm, now there's an idea!" Fred throws the words over his shoulder as he rushes off to find and comfort his wife. Tonight will be...interesting.


	15. Chapter 15

**Once again, sorry for the delay! Life has been crazy and I've been sick. Thanks for the reviews! :)**

They leave the Burrow at around midnight, with a tearful Mrs. Weasley waving them goodbye and a few wolf-whistles from Lee and George.

Fred had already chosen the honeymoon location and Hermione hesitantly took his arm for apparation.

"Where are we going, Fred?"

"You'll see, love."

With that reassurance, they disappear with a loud crack. After feeling the familiar squeezing sensation, Hermione cautiously opens her eyes to find herself standing on the front porch of a lovely cottage. The cottage is sitting haphazardly on an empty cliff on the beach, far away from anyone or anything.

"Fred?"

"It's my Aunt Muriel's cottage. She comes here during the summer. If you look over in the distance there, you can just barely make out Shell Cottage, Bill and Fleur's place."

"Your Aunt Muriel offered to let us use it?"

"Hah! As if. Be realistic, Mione. It's Muriel we're talking about. No, George and I threatened to send her dung bombs for a year in the post if she didn't let us stay here for two weeks. She agreed but told me, and I quote, 'You had better not burn the place down you horrible boy!' Charming woman."

Hermione snorts. "Well, I think it's lovely."

"I try! Let's go in!" Fred strides forward without a backward glance, leaving Hermione standing there bewildered.

"Um, Fred...aren't you supposed to carry me over the threshold or something?"

"Huh?"

"You know. You pick me up and then set me down once we get inside. It's tradition...at least for muggles."

"Oh...kay. Wizards actually just walk inside and then open their first bottle of mead together, but what the hell!"

He scoops her up, making her squeal, and runs into the house. Instead of setting her down, however, he proceeds to run through every room.

"That's the kitchen! There's the dining room! Bedroom! Bathroom's over there! Oooh, look, at the living room! That's it!" He gently lets go of her and sits down, heaving.

She laughs. "You only had to carry me into the front entry."

"Oh. Uh. I knew that."

"Sure you did. It was sweet, though."

"Well, Hermione. Hungry?"

With a blush, she shakes her head. Her blush makes Fred smile as he gathers her into his arms. "It'll be okay, love."

"I-I don't know...um, well, what I'm doing," she mumbles into his shirt.

"It's okay. I do."

"How many women have you been with?"

"Er...is this one of those moments where we have our first fight?"

"You're right. It's probably better if I don't know."

"Yep. C'mon. Go get your pajamas on and relax, 'kay? It'll be alright."

He drops a gently kiss on her forehead and takes her hand. Slowly, they wander toward the bedroom.

"I'll just freshen up," she mutters, grabbing her pajamas and running into the bathroom.

She takes a quick shower, shaving her legs and making sure she smells fresh. Finally, after getting dressed and surveying her appearance, Hermione opens the door and walks into the bedroom.

She calls Fred's name softly but he doesn't respond because he's fast asleep on the bed.

"Honestly!" She murmurs, but Hermione feels relieved. She likes, and is starting to care more deeply for, Fred but she is not ready for this. She doesn't want her first time to mean...nothing to her. She wants to make love, not have sex.

With a relieved sigh, she settles down next to Fred, unsure of where to put her arms and legs on the small bed clearly intended for one person. She squeaks in surprise when Fred's arms reach for her and pull her to his solid chest.

"Mione," he whispers in his sleep before snoring slightly.

She lets out a laugh and smiles before relaxing. Hermione settles in her husband's arms and quickly falls asleep.

* * *

The next morning, Fred's woken up by a swift kick in the shin from Hermione.

"Bloody hell. What the-?" He groggily sits up and stares at the beautiful woman next to him before remembering the events of yesterday. With a start, he realizes he fell asleep before she came out of the bathroom last night.

"Shite! Mione...Mione, wake up!"

With a moan that makes Fred dream of doing other things with her, she turns away from him.

"G'way!"

He grins as he insistently shakes her shoulder. "Wakey, wakey, my little wifey." He leans over and blows a raspberry on her neck.

She turns back toward him. "Morning," Hermione yawns. "That was a weird way to wake up, Fred."

"Hey! At least I'm creative! By the way, I am so sorry for falling asleep on you last night, Hermione. I was just really tired and-"

"It's okay. I wasn't ready, anyway."

He swallows his disappointment. "That's fine. Let me know when you are, okay? I won't pressure you."

"Thank you, Fred. That means so much to me."

"I know, I know. You don't have to say it. I'm already the perfect husband, aren't I?"

"Oh, shut up!"

He laughs and stands up, stretching, before Hermione lets out a slight gasp.

Fred looks up to find her staring at his crotch and he remembers that it's, well, morning.

"Er... Well, this is awkward. I'm just going to go take a shower."

She weakly nods, rushing from the room, her face beet red. Fred sighs, his face red as well.

* * *

He emerges from the shower later to find the delicious aroma of pancakes wafting from the kitchen. Walking in, Fred sees Hermione baking using muggle methods and he stops to admire the view.

"Good. You're out. Breakfast's ready."

He sits down and she does as well. At first, it's slightly awkward, almost as if they're playing house, but both soon fall into a familiar, friendly banter and relax.

Maybe there's hope after all.

* * *

Nearly two weeks later, having just arrived back from their honeymoon, Hermione utters that statement Fred's been waiting for.

They're settled into the flat, where they will be staying for now, and Fred is cooking for a change. Hermione, after a long day at work, is simply staring into space.

"I think I'm ready."

"Ready for what?"

"For sex," she says nonchalantly, a complete 180 from a few weeks ago.

Fred drops the spatula with a clatter and it lands on his bare foot. "Fuck! That's hot!"

"Language, Fred!"

"Sorry. You took me by surprise. You did mean sex with me, right?"

"Ha. Ha. No, I meant George. Yes, of course, I mean you!"

He sits down next to her, swallowing nervously. "And, uh, why are you so unconcerned about it now? Last time we talked about this you were freaking out. No offense."

Hermione runs her hand through her chocolate brown curls. "I don't know. I mean, I'm still really nervous, but I've thought about it so much, read some library books about the subject, and I just want to get it over with."

He laughs. "I don't know if most people would agree with you that it's something to 'get it over with', Mione. It's not the plague."

"Fred Weasley! Do you want to have sex with me or not?"

"I do."

"Good. We'll do it tonight, then."

Fred nods and stands up, not really expecting them to do it tonight because she's said the same thing for the past four days and backed out every time.

"I'm serious, Fred. Really. Here. Let's make an unbreakable vow."

"Wait. What?"

"Please, Fred."

He shrugs, thinking that it's very unlike Hermione Granger to make an unbreakable vow, but he knows better than to question her about her judgment.

They stand facing each other and Hermione states the incantation clearly. She's so confident that Fred pauses. "You looked this up, didn't you? Just for this?"

"W-well...yes. I needed a way to force me to do it, y'know. I mean, I want to do it, but I get so nervous."

"Right. Now what?"

"Now we repeat what we need to say."

At that moment, the front door to the flat opens and George pops his head in. "Fred, when I said I was re-stocking after we closed and that you should help, that was kind of a hint."

"Right, in a minute."

"Ooh! What're you two lovebirds up to? Looks dangerous and lethal."

"We're making a pact to have sex tonight," Fred states casually.

George sputters and chokes, his eyes widening. He puts his hands up and slowly backs out of the room. "Okay then. I'll leave you two do it, then. I mean, not do it do it, but, uh, finish whatever the hell craziness you're doing up here. Didn't know you were having so much trouble with it, Freddie..."

The door slams and Hermione, previously embarrassed, starts to laugh. Fred glowers. "Great, he's going to tell everyone that I am scared of having sex. I'll never live that one down."

They finish the unbreakable vow and move in for a passionate kiss. Just as things are getting interesting (Fred's hands have somehow found their way to her arse and their tongues are tangled), the smell of smoke permeates the air.

"What? Oh no! Not the bacon!"

Hermione hides a laugh as Fred vainly tries to rescue his precious bacon, but fails at the attempt. "You shouldn't make breakfast for dinner anyway, Fred. It's strange."

"Oh, but making unbreakable vows before dinner is a common occurrence when you're around. Face it, love, you're weird too."

Hermione shrugs. "More normal than you."

"Are not!"

"Are too!"

"IF YOU TWO ARE DONE DOING CREEPY STUFF, I REALLY NEED SOME HELP! A PIGMY PUFF ESCAPED AND IS LAUGHING EVILLY FROM SOMEWHERE IN THE STOCKROOM!"

"I thought Pigmy Puffs were so cute and innocent."

"Nah. Not really. They look that way, but they're evil geniuses. Kinda like you."

"Gee, thanks."

He gives her a swift kiss on the lips and runs out the door, thundering down the steps. "I'm coming dear brother of mine! And I'm not scared of having sex, by the way! Just thought I'd throw that out there for anyone to hear!"

Hermione rolls her eyes and quickly cleans up, eating dinner and preparing plates to bring the men. Living with them is never dull, that's for sure.

And tonight promises to be especially exciting.


	16. Chapter 16

**a/n: re-reading the last chapter, I had to laugh at my unbreakable vow insert. I'm sure many of you were like, "wtf!?". I was extremely tired when I wrote that chapter and I get kind of weird when I'm exhausted, haha. Thanks for the reviews/alerts!**

** Warning: Mature sexual content in this chapter.**

Hermione arrives home from work a little late, having been kept back by her boss to clarify some reports. When she arrives in the apartment, therefore, she's expecting Fred to be either downstairs, still working on potions, or starting on dinner.

She opens the door to his (_No, our,_ she reminds herself) apartment and it's completely silent.

Floating candles adorn the room and the ceiling has been enchanted to a Hogwarts-inspired version of the night sky outside. It's breathtaking and beautiful. Suddenly, she feels the urge to cry at the thoughtfulness of this man. Her...husband.

Fred steps out from the kitchen, wearing a pink apron that says, "Brains and talent", with an arrow pointing upward. He's also wearing big, pink oven mitts.

"Oh, good! You're home. Stupid git of a boss keep you late again?"

Hermione smiles and shakes her head, tears filling her eyes. A concerned look overcomes Fred's face and he strides quickly toward her.

"Love, what's wrong?"

"I-I'm...You're just so sweet and you make me s-so h-h-happy," she nearly wails as tears plow tracks into her soft cheeks.

Fred gives her a bewildered look (muttering under his breath about not understanding women) and takes her in his arms. "I'm glad you're happy? Do you like the room?" He rocks her back and forth as she cries. She provides a muffled, "I love it," at some point.

After a few minutes, Hermione pulls back and gives him a watery smile. "The room is beautiful and this was so thoughtful, Fred."

"Why thank you, m'lady! Shall I escort you into dinner? I can introduce you to the cook. I've heard that he's brilliantly handsome," Fred jokes.

She laughs and takes his arm, following him into the kitchen.

After eating the meal that Fred prepared (slightly burnt chicken, a garden salad, and chocolate cake—he tried hard anyway), they slowly make their way to the bedroom.

[Warning: Mature sexual content]

Fred begins to kiss her, pulling her chest tight against his own as they make their way to the bed. He gently lets her down and begins to unbutton her shirt, licking and kissing his way in the valley between her breasts.

Before long, both of them are without clothes and blushing furiously. Fred puts out a few candles to make both of them feel more comfortable and begins to administer to Hermione's breasts.

She lets out a squeak of surprise and a moan as his hot mouth latches onto her, tugging and pulling. Fred smirks at her and moves to do the same to the other breast before pulling back.

"Hermione?"

"Hmmm? That feels nice..."

"Can I...touch your clit?"

She blushes but nods at him, noting the loving look in his electric blue eyes.

His rough fingers find the spot and Hermione's hips buck in response. Fred stares into her face as she begins to squirm and moan underneath him, not sure whether to get away or get closer because the feeling is becoming so intense.

He whispers in her ear, "Come for me, love," and a feel of heady warmth rushes over her body as she goes completely rigid. Time seems to stop and Fred marvels at the beauty of Hermione Grang...er, Weasley having an orgasm: her hair is spread about the pillow, her body supple and soft and writhing...

She comes down from her high to find him admiring her and she blushes. Slowly, he lines up with her body and asks the question with his eyes. She nods. He pushes in slightly before encountering her barrier.

"This might hurt."

"I know."

"Read about it at the library?"

"Shut up."

Hermione bites her lip as a pained expression lights upon her face. After a few minutes, she nods to him and he continues.

Before long, he reaches orgasm, collapsing on top of her. He helps her finish as well and they both lie back, completely relaxed.

"Fred?"

"Yeah?" He's nearly asleep, with her cuddled against his side.

"Thank you. That was wonderful."

"No, thank _you_, Hermione. I feel the same."

"I...I love you, Fred."

He pauses. "I love you too, Hermione Weasley."

Hermione watches him fall asleep and soon falls asleep herself, dreaming of taking a walk with her husband. She smiles in her sleep and clasps him tighter to her, sighing in contentment.

The next morning, Hermione wakes up to a very loud knock on the bedroom door.

"FRED! GET UP YOU LAZY GIT!" George's voice easily permeates the wooden door and Hermione shakes Fred's shoulder.

Fred groans and pushes her away, muttering, "Jus' a sec..."

Hermione glances at the clock and gasps. It's already 8:30? "Fred Weasley! Wake up! We must've forgot to set the alarm last night!"

"Hmm..?" He turns away from her, putting the pillow over his head.

Suddenly, the door flings open, slamming against the wall with a bang, and George Weasley bursts into the room.

"Oi! I told you to get your lazy arse...Oh my god! I'm so sorry, Hermione. I'll, er, just, wait outside."

Hermione clutching the sheet to her chest (glad he hadn't seen anything) gives George another glare as he backs hastily out of the room.

She quickly gets dressed, rushing to pull her hair back and yell at the still-sleeping Fred every few seconds. Finally, fed up with his lack of response, she pulls out her wand and casts an augamenti spell directly onto his face.

"AHHH!" Hermione snickers as a very wet Fred sits up.

"Was that really necessary?"

She shrugs. "I kept yelling at you but you wouldn't wake up. We're late."

"Bloody hell! Why didn't you tell me it was so late?"

"I tried!"

Fred quickly throws on a mismatched, pink and blue pinstriped suit and they rush out of the room.

Downstairs, Fred quickly apologizes to his twin and Hermione waves at George as she runs to the shop to floo to work .

George grins at Fred after Hermione's disappeared. "Didn't get much sleep last night, eh, Freddie?"

"Shut it, George."

"Well, how was it?"

"Amazing. Spectacular. Perfect. Wonderful."

"Blimey, you've been spending too much time with her, mate. Really increasing your vocabulary, there. Can't have people think we're too smart, now." George claps his twin on the back and moves away, leaving Fred to smile and shake his head at his twins antics.

An impatient customer gestures toward him and Fred moves to assist, but Hermione remains in his thoughts all day. He cannot wait to see the love of his life tonight.

**God, writing smut makes me feel awkward... Hope it was okay. Please review!**


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N: Thanks for reading and reviewing, you guys! :) This is the last chapter. Prepare for an epic amount of cheesiness****. I had a lot of fun writing this story and I hoped you enjoyed it as well. **

They've been married for about five months now and attended many of their friends' ministry-enforced weddings. Hermione couldn't be happier.

Today, though, she wants to finally catch Fred Weasley off guard. In all the time that she's known and been married to him, she's never been able to truly surprise him. It's time to put her plan into action.

Hermione taps her wand against her chin, a thoughtful expression on her face as she determines how to trick Fred. This is going to be fun...

Fred thunders up the stairs after a long day in the shop, excited as usual to see his beautiful wife.

But, when he opens the door to their apartment, it's completely silent (George has long-since married Angelina and moved out). The silence is almost eerie and he stops in mid-step, wondering where Hermione is.

Fred wanders into the kitchen, but she isn't there. He strolls into the living room, but he doesn't see Hermione reading on the couch or by the fireplace. He peeks into the bathroom on the way, but she's not taking a bath or changing (too bad for him). Finally, he makes his way to the bedroom door, which is closed.

Fred opens it, thinking maybe she's taking a nap, because she had the day off due to being sick, but the room is dark. He lights the candles and catches a glimpse of something hanging in midair.

It's a note.

He strides forward and reaches for it, reading it quickly.

_Dear Fred,_

_On the bed, there's a present. It's for you._

_Love, Hermione_

He shrugs and turns toward the bed to find a small, wrapped gift lying there innocently. Unsuspectingly, Fred pulls open the ribbon and finds a box underneath. He tears open the box and his eyebrows rise.

"What the-?"

Inside the box, there are three items:

An Ice pack

Galleons

A weird stick-like thing

Hermione steps out from behind the closet door, "The ice pack is for you, after your mother hugs you to death. The galleons are so that you can buy butterbeer on us. The last thing is a muggle test. If it's pink, it means I'm pregnant."

Fred's eyes get comically wide and he fumbles to take out the pregnancy test. It's pink.

"You're pregnant? God! I'm going to be a father? We're going to be parents! Blimey!"

Fred sweeps his beautiful wife into a loving embrace and kisses her thoroughly.

"So, you're happy?"

"Happy! Bloody hell, Hermione, I'm thrilled!" He hugs her again. "And we beat George, so he owes me money!"

"Wait. WHAT?" She moves away from, hands on her hips.

"Er...is there any way you possibly didn't hear that?"

"Fred Weasley! You didn't! Please tell me that you didn't place bets on whether Angelina or I would get pregnant first!"

"Er..."

"Is that why you were so eager to have sex lately?"

"NO! No, no, no! Of course not, love. You know me. I'll have sex with you anytime. Anyplace...well, except for maybe in the Burrow's living room. That would be kind of awkward."

She rolls her eyes. "You will put all of that money towards our baby's college fund."

"College?"

"Yes, college! Our son or daughter is going to be very smart and will have every opportunity available to him or her."

"Yes ma'am!" Fred slatues her and the corners of her mouth quirk upward. "I might need another ice pack, though."

"Why?"

"Because I have to deal with your hormones for the next nine months, love."

She socks him on the arm and he winces before bouncing up and down. "Let's go tell everybody!"

"Right now? But, Fred, it's dinner at the Burr-"

"Don't care! This takes priority over food." He grabs her arms and throws powder into the fireplace. He pretends that he doesn't hear her murmur, "I never thought I'd hear a Weasley say that."

"Ready, Hermione?" Fred, with his arm around her waist, looks down at her fondly.

She nods. "Always. I'm so glad that it's you that I'm having the baby with, Fred."

He grins. "Yeah. This whole marriage thing isn't so bad after all, is it?"

She hits him on the shoulder again and laughs.

They step into the fire and disappear, leaving only the softly-glowing green embers behind. The walls whisper among themselves of the news, looking forward to the voice of a child once again in their midst.

**1 YEAR LATER**

"Shite, it never stops..." Fred moans and covers his head with the pillow as darling, six-month old Rose Nymphadora Weasley wails from her bedroom.

Hermione turns over with a groan. "Your turn."

"S'not."

"Is too..."

"It's not...Just go make the beast stop...OW!"

"Fred Weasley! Your daughter should not be referred to as a beast!" Hermione glares at him, sitting up and still threateningly holding her pillow, ready to whack him again.

He mumbles into the sheets but she doesn't hear him. "What?"

"You're kind of cranky, Mione. Should really get more sleep."

"Oh, har har! And it's your turn."

Fred sighs and gets up, scratching his messy, red hair. "M'up, crazy woman."

"I heard that."

"Of course you did."

"I heard that too!" He's nearly down the hall now, so she must have amazing ears. He rolls his eyes and opens the door to their baby's room, which was George's old room.

He steps in and peers down at Rose. "What's wrong, little crying machine?"

The baby, upon seeing him, stops crying.

"Figures." Fred begins to walk away, but as soon as he does, Rose begins to cry again. He sighs.

He sniffs her diaper. Not the problem. Deciding that she's just lonely, he picks her up and rocks her for a while in the rocking chair that Molly gave them as a present.

He softly starts to sing, "_Hush little baby, don't say a word. Daddy's going to buy you an owly-bird. And if that owly-bird doesn't fly, Daddy's going to buy you an apple pie. And if pie is made by my twin (who can't cook), Daddy's going to buy you a wand-to-fight Slytherins-and-win. And if that wand just doesn't work, Daddy's going to go beserk."_

Hermione snorts from the doorway. She'd just taught him the muggle version of that song a few weeks ago. "Interesting, Fred."

He winks at her. "What can I say? I'm a man of many talents. Maybe I should've gone into a singing career."

She smiles and walks toward him, placing her hands on his shoulder and leaning over to kiss him gently. "I'm sorry I was so rude. I'm just quite tired."

He winks. "I understand, love. I don't blame you. Sorry I tried to get out of it."

"And?"

"And called our daughter a beast."

"And?"

"Uh...?"

"Just wanted to see if you had anything else on your conscience."

He laughs, "I've corrupted you this last year, haven't I?"

She smiles. "You've made me happy, Fred."

"You've made me happy too. I love you." He glances down. "And I love this new one too."

Tears spring to Hermione's eyes. "I love you t-too," she manages to squeeze out as she starts to cry.

Fred laughs. "Hormones, already?"

"Apparently, but I wouldn't change this for the world," she says as she puts her hand on her gently swelling stomach.

Fred puts his hands over hers and whispers, "Hey there you two. I can't wait to meet you."

He wipes away his wife's tears and kisses her gently.

Life doesn't get better than this.


End file.
